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Slide Source
Hypertension Online
www.hypertensiononline.org

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
www.hypertensiononline.org

Antihypertensive Drug Classes: Action Sites

Blood
Pressure

Cardiac
Output

Antihypertensive
Drug Classes

-Blockers

Total Peripheral
Resistance
-Blockers
ACE Inhibitors
AT1 Blockers
Direct renin
inhibitors
1-Blockers

Non-DHP
CCBs

2-Agonists

Diuretics

Diuretics

All CCBs
Sympatholytics
Vasodilators

ACE = angiotensin-converting enzyme; AT1 = angiotensin type 1;

CCBs = calcium channel blockers; DHP = dihydropyridine

Slide Source
Hypertension Online
www.hypertensiononline.org

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

Slide Source
Hypertension Online
www.hypertensiononline.org