Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Antihypertensive Drugs: Vasodilators

Antihypertensive Drugs: Vasodilators

Vasodilators, primarily affecting the smooth muscles within arterial and venous walls, are commonly used for hypertension treatment. Medications such as minoxidil and hydralazine primarily target arteries and arterioles, while sodium nitroprusside acts on arterioles and venules. Minoxidil, functioning as a prodrug, is metabolized by hepatic sulfotransferase into its active form, minoxidil sulfate, after oral administration. This metabolite binds to the sulfonylurea receptor (SUR) component of...

Heart Failure Drugs: Inhibitors of Renin-Angiotensin System

Heart Failure Drugs: Inhibitors of Renin-Angiotensin System

The activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) contributes to cardiac remodeling, and inhibiting the RAAS is a pharmacological target in heart failure management. As a result, neurohumoral modulation is a crucial treatment principle for managing heart failure. This approach involves using medications like ACE inhibitors (ACEIs), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), β-blockers, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs), and neutral...

Antihypertensive Drugs: Action of Diuretics

Antihypertensive Drugs: Action of Diuretics

Diuretics are antihypertensive drugs used to treat hypertension resulting from sodium and water retention. Sodium, vital for fluid balance and nerve or muscle function, is regulated by the kidneys through millions of nephrons. Blood enters nephrons via afferent arterioles, which branch into capillaries called glomeruli. These filter blood plasma, allowing water and solutes, like sodium ions, to pass through capillary walls into Bowman's capsule. The filtrate then flows through various tubules...

Heart Failure V: Medical Management

Heart Failure V: Medical Management

Medical Management of Acute Decompensated Heart Failure (ADHF)The primary goals of therapy for patients hospitalized with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) include:Relieving symptomsOptimizing volume statusSupporting oxygenation and ventilationMaintaining cardiac output (CO) and end-organ perfusionIdentifying and addressing the cause of ADHFPreventing complicationsProviding patient education on factors precipitating HF exacerbationPlanning for dischargeOngoing monitoring and assessment...

Antihypertensive Drugs: Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors

Antihypertensive Drugs: Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), a vital component of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, is abundant in lung endothelial cells. ACE converts the inactive decapeptide, angiotensin I, into the active octapeptide, angiotensin II. This potent vasoconstrictor narrows blood vessels, increasing resistance to blood flow and elevating blood pressure. Angiotensin II also stimulates aldosterone production, encouraging kidney cells to reabsorb more sodium and water from urine, thereby increasing...

Heart Failure Drugs: Diuretics

Heart Failure Drugs: Diuretics

Heart failure and kidney perfusion are interconnected in a complex way. Reduced renal perfusion and venous congestion are two significant factors that contribute to renal dysfunction in heart failure. The kidneys, primarily responsible for fluid balance in the body, are adversely affected due to compromised cardiac output and increased venous pressure. In response to reduced renal perfusion, the kidneys activate neurohumoral mechanisms to restore balance. However, these mechanisms can be...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Beta-Blocker Discontinuation After Myocardial Infarction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

JACC. Advances·2026

Same author

Beta-Blocker Discontinuation in Acute Heart Failure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

JACC. Advances·2026

Same author

Effects of Social Prescribing for Older Adults: An Evidence and Gap Map.

Campbell systematic reviews·2026

Same author

Piperacillin-tazobactam tolerability in patients with a labeled penicillin allergy (PIPPEN).

Antimicrobial stewardship & healthcare epidemiology : ASHE·2026

Same author

Gifts, Blind Spots, and Gray: Canadian Student Pharmacists' Perceptions of Pharmaceutical Industry Interactions.

American journal of pharmaceutical education·2026

Same author

Drug Coverage Policy and Legacy Prescribing: A Cross-Sectional Analysis in British Columbia.

Health science reports·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 27, 2026

Improved Renal Denervation Mitigated Hypertension Induced by Angiotensin II Infusion

Improved Renal Denervation Mitigated Hypertension Induced by Angiotensin II Infusion

Published on: May 26, 2022

Hydralazine for essential hypertension.

Michael R Kandler¹, Greg T Mah, Aaron M Tejani

¹SurreyMemorial Hospital Pharmacy, Fraser Health Authority, Surrey, Canada. mike.kandler@fraserhealth.ca

The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

|November 11, 2011

Summary

No randomized controlled trials were found comparing hydralazine to placebo for hypertension. Therefore, evidence on hydralazine

More Related Videos

The Antihypertensive Effects and Mechanisms of Huotan Jiedu Tongluo Decoction in Rats with H-Type Hypertension

The Antihypertensive Effects and Mechanisms of Huotan Jiedu Tongluo Decoction in Rats with H-Type Hypertension

Published on: May 17, 2024

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 27, 2026

Improved Renal Denervation Mitigated Hypertension Induced by Angiotensin II Infusion

Improved Renal Denervation Mitigated Hypertension Induced by Angiotensin II Infusion

Published on: May 26, 2022

The Antihypertensive Effects and Mechanisms of Huotan Jiedu Tongluo Decoction in Rats with H-Type Hypertension

The Antihypertensive Effects and Mechanisms of Huotan Jiedu Tongluo Decoction in Rats with H-Type Hypertension

Published on: May 17, 2024

Area of Science:

Cardiovascular Medicine
Pharmacology

Background:

Hypertension significantly increases the risk of stroke, myocardial infarction, and heart failure.
Hydralazine, a direct-acting vasodilator, has been used for hypertension since the 1950s.
Despite newer alternatives, hydralazine remains cost-effective and widely used in developing nations.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate the efficacy of hydralazine versus placebo in randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
To assess hydralazine's impact on mortality, cardiovascular events, adverse events, and blood pressure in primary hypertension.

Main Methods:

Searched Cochrane, MEDLINE, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, and EMBASE databases.
Included RCTs comparing oral hydralazine to oral placebo in primary hypertension patients.
Excluded studies on secondary or gestational hypertension.

Main Results:

The literature search yielded no RCTs comparing hydralazine directly to placebo.
Insufficient evidence exists to determine hydralazine's effects on mortality, morbidity, or blood pressure.
Reported adverse effects include reflex tachycardia, hemolytic anemia, vasculitis, glomerulonephritis, and lupus-like syndrome.

Conclusions:

Hydralazine may lower blood pressure, but this is based on non-RCT data.
The effect of hydralazine on clinical outcomes in primary hypertension remains uncertain.
Further high-quality RCTs are needed to establish hydralazine's true efficacy and safety profile.