Vasodilators Cause Vasodilation Dilate Blood Vessels for Blood Flow Increase
Vasodilators are drugs that dilate, or open, your blood vessels. They work by relaxing the smooth muscles in your blood vessel’s walls. Thus, preventing them from tightening which causes narrowing.
So, vasodilators increase blood flow due to less resistance and your heart gets a break because it doesn’t have to pump as hard. Of vital importance, your blood pressure is reduced as a consequence.
There are different vasodilators and which one is prescribed depends on your health and the condition that needs to be treated. A couple of prescription only vasodilation drugs are:
A liquid form of minoxidil is sold without a prescription which is applied directly to the scalp for hair growth promotion benefiting some types of baldness. And OTC niacin is sometimes taken because it causes your peripheral blood vessels to dilate, thus increasing blood flow to your extremities.
Vasodilators are prescribed to increase blood flow in an effort to prevent, treat or rectify symptoms caused by array of conditions, like:
- angina
- tinnitus
- heart failure
- hypertension
- cardiomyopathy
- erectile dysfunction
- mitral valve prolapse
- cardiovascular disease
- coronary artery disease
- pulmonary hypertension
- Raynaud’s phenomenon caused skin ulcers
- scleroderma caused pulmonary hypertension
- high blood pressure during pregnancy, childbirth
If you have hypertension, vasodilators dilate blood vessels to decrease your risk of stroke, heart attack, heart failure and kidney failure.
Drugs that cause vasodilation don’t cure high blood pressure, but they sure help control it. And you may need to take them for the rest of your life.
Because drugs that cause vasodilation are strong medications they’re generally used only after other treatments haven’t taken care your health issue.
As with most drugs, vasodilators are not without their side effects. Some side effects resulting from dilated blood vessel for increased flow include:
- edema
- pruritus
- flushing
- myalgia
- diarrhea
- priapism
- hirsutism
- skin rash
- dizziness
- arthralgia
- headache
- weakness
- chest pain
- sore throat
- palpitations
- tachycardia
- loss of appetite
- nausea, vomiting
- nasal congestion
- swollen lymph nodes
- orthostatic hypotension
- pain, paresthesias in hands, feet
If you have rosacea, vasodilators can cause flare-ups. In addition, some vasodilators can increase your risk of developing lupus, a connective tissue disease, and may make pheochromocytomas more active.
And if you have kidney disease, then vasodilation side effects may be more pronounced because your kidneys will clear these blood vessel dilators much slower.
- Best Pain Reliever, Over the Counter Pain Relievers, Prescription Analgesic Painkillers
- Diuretic Water Pills Causes Water Weight Loss, Diuretics Side Effects, Natural Diuretic Foods
- Causes for Drug Allergy, Medication Allergies Symptoms, Allergic Reaction to Drugs Treatment
- Antihistamine Causes Histamines Receptor Blockage for Allergy, Common Colds, Flu Treatment
- Anti Inflammatory Cortisone, Hydrocortisone, Corticosteroids Inflammation Treatment Side Effects
- About Antiplatelet & Anticoagulant Blood Thinners, Anticoagulant Side Effects, Natural Blood Thinners
Immunosuppression, Immunosuppressive, Immunosuppressant Drugs Causes Suppressed Immune System Response
