Antihypertensive agents

Hydrochlorothiazide, sold under the brand name Hydrodiuril among others, is a diuretic medication used to treat hypertension and swelling due to fluid build-up. Other uses include treating diabetes insipidus and renal tubular acidosis and to decrease the risk of kidney stones in hypercalciuria. Hydrochlorothiazide is taken by mouth and may be combined with other blood pressure medications as a single pill to increase effectiveness. Hydrochlorothiazide is a thiazide medication which inhibits reabsorption of sodium and chloride ions from the distal convoluted tubules of the kidneys, causing a na

Minoxidil, sold under the brand names Loniten and Rogaine among others, is a medication used for the treatment of high blood pressure and pattern hair loss. It is an antihypertensive and a vasodilator. It is available as a generic medication by prescription in oral tablet form and over-the-counter as a topical liquid or foam.

Antihypertensives are a class of drugs that are used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure). Antihypertensive therapy seeks to prevent the complications of high blood pressure, such as stroke, heart failure, kidney failure and myocardial infarction. Evidence suggests that a reduction of blood pressure by 5 mmHg can decrease the risk of stroke by 34% and of ischaemic heart disease by 21%. It can reduce the likelihood of dementia, heart failure, and mortality from cardiovascular disease. There are many classes of antihypertensives, which lower blood pressure by different means. Among t

Reserpine is a drug that is used for the treatment of high blood pressure, usually in combination with a thiazide diuretic or vasodilator. Large clinical trials have shown that combined treatment with reserpine plus a thiazide diuretic reduces mortality of people with hypertension. Although the use of reserpine as a solo drug has declined since it was first approved by the FDA in 1955, the combined use of reserpine and a thiazide diuretic or vasodilator is still recommended in patients who do not achieve adequate lowering of blood pressure with first-line drug treatment alone. The reserpine-hy

Clonidine, sold under the brand name Catapres, Javadin, Kapvay among others, is an α2-adrenergic receptor agonist, hypotensive and anxiolytic drug used to treat high blood pressure, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, perioperative pain, drug withdrawal (e.g., alcohol, opioids, or nicotine), and menopausal flushing. Clonidine is often prescribed off-label for tics. It is used orally (by mouth), by injection, or as a transdermal skin patch. Onset of action is typically within an hour with the effects on blood pressure lasting for up to eight hours. Xylazine is a structural analog of cloni

Hydralazine, sold under the brand name Apresoline among others, is a medication used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure. This includes high blood pressure in pregnancy and very high blood pressure resulting in symptoms. It has been found to be particularly useful in heart failure, together with isosorbide dinitrate, for treatment of people of African descent. It is given by mouth or by injection into a vein. Effects usually begin around 15 minutes and last up to six hours.

Methyldopa, also known as α-methyl-L-DOPA and sold under the brand name Aldomet among others, is a medication used for high blood pressure. It is one of the preferred treatments for high blood pressure in pregnancy. For other types of high blood pressure including very high blood pressure resulting in symptoms other medications are typically preferred. It can be given by mouth or injection into a vein. Onset of effects is around 5 hours and they last about a day.

Prazosin, sold under the brand name Minipress among others, is a medication used to treat high blood pressure, symptoms of an enlarged prostate, and nightmares related to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is an α1 blocker. It is a less preferred treatment of high blood pressure. Other uses may include heart failure and Raynaud syndrome. It is taken by mouth.

Pindolol, sold under the brand name Visken among others, is a non-selective beta blocker which is used in the treatment of hypertension. It is also an antagonist of the serotonin 5-HT1A receptor, preferentially blocking inhibitory 5-HT1A autoreceptors, and has been researched as an add-on therapy to various antidepressants, such as clomipramine and the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), in the treatment of depression and obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD).

Phentolamine, sold under the brand name Regitine among others, is a non-selective α-adrenergic antagonist.

A sympatholytic (sympathoplegic) drug is a medication that opposes the downstream effects of postganglionic nerve firing in effector organs innervated by the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). They are indicated for various functions; for example, they may be used as antihypertensives. They are also used to treat anxiety, such as generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder and PTSD. In some cases, such as with guanfacine, they have also shown to be beneficial in the treatment of ADHD.

Moxonidine (INN) is a new-generation alpha-2/imidazoline receptor agonist antihypertensive drug licensed for the treatment of mild to moderate essential hypertension. It may have a role when thiazides, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, and calcium channel blockers are not appropriate or have failed to control blood pressure. In addition, it demonstrates favourable effects on parameters of the insulin resistance syndrome, apparently independent of blood pressure reduction. It is also a growth hormone releaser. It is manufactured by Solvay Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Abbott in 2009) under the bran

Ajmalicine, also known as δ-yohimbine or raubasine, is an antihypertensive drug used in the treatment of high blood pressure. It has been marketed under numerous brand names including Card-Lamuran, Circolene, Cristanyl, Duxil, Duxor, Hydroxysarpon, Iskedyl, Isosarpan, Isquebral, Lamuran, Melanex, Raunatin, Saltucin Co, Salvalion, and Sarpan. It is an alkaloid found naturally in various plants such as Rauvolfia spp., Catharanthus roseus, and Mitragyna speciosa.

Sacubitril (; INN) is an antihypertensive drug used in combination with valsartan. The combination drug sacubitril/valsartan, known during trials as LCZ696 and marketed under the brand name Entresto, is a treatment for heart failure. It was approved under the FDA's priority review process for use in heart failure on July 7, 2015.

Dihydralazine is a prescription drug with antihypertensive properties. It functions by combating the effects of adrenaline, and by expanding the blood vessels so as to enable smoother flow of blood by decreasing the pressure. It is generally administered orally, and is available in the form of tablets. It belongs to the hydrazinophthalazine chemical class. It has very similar effects to hydralazine.

Lofexidine, sold as a generic by Indoco, MSN, Novitium, Ani Pharma, Regcon, etc; and under the brand name Lucemyra; is a medication historically used to treat high blood pressure; today, it is more commonly used to help with the physical symptoms of opioid withdrawal. It is taken by mouth. It is an α2A-adrenergic receptor agonist. It was initially approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration in the United States in 2018, considering it to be a first-in-class medication. Subsequent generic approvals by the FDA started August 21, 2024 with Indoco Remedies with Competitive Generic Therapy

Ketanserin, sold under the brand name Sufrexal, is an antihypertensive agent which is used to treat arterial hypertension and vasospastic disorders. It is also used in scientific research as an antiserotonergic agent in the study of the serotonin system; specifically, the 5-HT2 receptor family. The drug is taken orally.

Pargyline, sold under the brand name Eutonyl among others, is a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) medication which has been used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure) but is no longer marketed. It has also been studied as an antidepressant, but was never licensed for use in the treatment of depression. The drug is taken by mouth.

Rilmenidine is a prescription medication for the treatment of hypertension. It is taken orally and marketed under the brand names Albarel, Hyperium, Iterium and Tenaxum.

Deserpidine (INN) or reserpidine (USAN) is an antihypertensive drug structurally related to reserpine differing only by the absence of a methoxy group on the indole ring. It is a naturally occurring alkaloid from Rauvolfia spp.

drug that binds to but do not activate adrenergic receptors

Corynanthine, also known as rauhimbine, is an alkaloid found in the Rauvolfia and Corynanthe (including Pausinystalia) genera of plants. It is one of the two diastereoisomers of yohimbine, the other being rauwolscine. It is also related to ajmalicine.

Debrisoquine is a derivative of guanidine. It is an antihypertensive drug similar to guanethidine. Debrisoquine is frequently used for phenotyping the CYP2D6 enzyme, a drug-metabolizing enzyme.

Rescinnamine, known by the brand names Moderil, Cinnasil, and Anaprel, is an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor used as an antihypertensive drug.

Guanadrel is an antihypertensive agent. It is used in the form of its sulfate.

Tolonidine is an antihypertensive. It is an imidazoline receptor agonist, like moxonidine and rilmenidine.

Xipranolol is a beta blocker.

'α-Methyl-p-tyrosine (AMPT), or simply α-methyltyrosine', also known in its chiral 2-(S) form as metirosine, is a tyrosine hydroxylase enzyme inhibitor and is therefore a drug involved in inhibiting the catecholamine biosynthetic pathway. AMPT inhibits tyrosine hydroxylase whose enzymatic activity is normally regulated through the phosphorylation of different serine residues in regulatory domain sites. Catecholamine biosynthesis starts with dietary tyrosine, which is hydroxylated by tyrosine hydroxylase and it is hypothesized that AMPT competes with tyrosine at the tyrosine-binding site, causi

Endralazine is an antihypertensive of the hydrazinophthalazine chemical class. It is not approved for use in the United States.

Adaprolol is a beta blocker.

Kopexil (INCI name diaminopyrimidine oxide, trade name Aminexil) is a chemical compound similar to minoxidil. Minoxidil was originally used to treat high blood pressure; a side effect was increased body hair. Both compounds have been used for therapy of alopecia. Kopexil is not approved for use as a drug in the United States or in Europe.

Bucindolol is a non-selective beta blocker with additional weak alpha-blocking properties and intrinsic sympathomimetic activity in some model systems but not in human hearts. It was under review by the FDA in the United States for the treatment of heart failure in 2009, but was rejected due to issues pertaining to integrity of data submitted.

Xibenolol is a beta blocker.

chemical compound

Ancarolol is a beta blocker.

Methoserpidine is an antihypertensive drug related to reserpine.

Pentolinium, also known as pentapyrrolidinium, is a ganglionic blocking agent which acts as a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist. Formulated as the pentolinium tartrate salt, it was marketed under the trade name Ansolysen. It can be used as an antihypertensive drug during surgery or to control hypertensive crises. It works by binding to the acetylcholine receptor of adrenergic nerves and thereby inhibiting the release of noradrenaline and adrenaline. Blocking this receptor leads to smooth muscle relaxation and vasodilation.

Naftopidil (INN, marketed under the brand name Flivas) is a drug used in benign prostatic hyperplasia which acts as a selective α1-adrenergic receptor antagonist or alpha-1 blocker.

Alfurolol is a beta blocker.

Arnolol is a beta blocker.

Tiamenidine (BAN, USAN, INN, also known as thiamenidine, Hoe 440) is an imidazoline compound that shares many of the pharmacological properties of clonidine. It is a centrally-acting α2 adrenergic receptor agonist (IC50 = 9.1 nM). It also acts as an α1-adrenergic receptor agonist to a far lesser extent (IC50 = 4.85 μM). In hypertensive volunteers, like clonidine, it significantly increased sinus node recovery time and lowered cardiac output. It was marketed (as tiamenidine hydrochloride) by Sanofi-Aventis under the brand name Sundralen for the management of essential hypertension.

Sotatercept, sold under the brand name Winrevair, is a medication used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension. It inhibits activin signaling using the extracellular domain of the activin type 2 receptor fused with an immunoglobulin Fc domain (ACTRIIA-Fc) as a recombinant fusion protein. It is administered via subcutaneous injection.

Pildralazine (Atensil), also known as propyldazine or propildazine, is an antihypertensive and vasodilator.

Hydracarbazine is a pyridazine that has found use as an antihypertensive agent.

Atiprosin (developmental code name AY-28,228) is an antihypertensive agent which acts as a selective α1-adrenergic receptor antagonist. It also possesses some antihistamine activity, though it is some 15-fold weaker in this regard than as an alpha blocker. It was never marketed.

Guanoclor (INN), also known as guanochlor, is a sympatholytic drug. It is known to bind to non-adrenergic sites in pig kidney membranes.

Butynamine is a tertiary (a highly hindered) aliphatic amine which has antihypertensive effects.

Alprenoxime is a beta blocker. It is a prodrug to alprenolol.