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Slide Source Hypertension Online Classes of Antihypertensive Drugs Aldosterone receptor antagonists (blockers) Angiotensin II antagonists Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors -Blockers –1-Selective –Nonselective -Blockers –-1/-2 –-1 predominant –/ –Intrinsic sympathomimetic activity Calcium channel antagonists –Nondihydropyridine –Dihydropyridine Central  2 agonists Direct renin inhibitors Direct vasodilators Diuretics –Thiazide-type –Loop-type –Potassium-sparing Ganglionic blockers

Slide Source Hypertension Online - Blockers ACE Inhibitors AT 1 Blockers Direct renin inhibitors  1 -Blockers  2 -Agonists All CCBs Diuretics Sympatholytics Vasodilators -Blockers Non-DHP CCBs Diuretics BloodPressure = Cardiac Output  ACE = angiotensin-converting enzyme; AT 1 = angiotensin type 1; CCBs = calcium channel blockers; DHP = dihydropyridine Antihypertensive Drug Classes: Action Sites Total Peripheral Resistance Antihypertensive Drug Classes

Slide Source Hypertension Online Summary Drugs from 11 major classes have been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration to treat hypertension Many of these drugs have complementary effects to reduce blood pressure and prevent target organ damage The goal of antihypertensive therapy is to use doses of drugs that effectively lower blood pressure while minimizing adverse effects Combinations of drugs that have complementary actions – or allow the actions of one drug to offset the adverse effects of a second drug – are often required to achieve this goal The dose-response relationship for a single drug may vary with the target organ-protective effect for which that drug is being prescribed