Patient was educated on arterial vasodilators and their mechanism of action as follows:
- Constricted or collapsed arteries offer more resistance for the pumping action of the heart and contribute towards increased blood pressure.
- Dilation of arteries results in decreased resistance for the heart, pumping blood into the arterial system. So, more amount of blood can be pumped by the heart with reduced effort.
- Reduced resistance in the arteries will lead to reduced blood pressure. So, arterial vasodilators can be used to manage individuals with hypertension.
- Since, these drugs also contribute towards reducing the workload on the heart, by helping the heart pump blood with reduced effort, they help the heart to function optimally at reduced oxygen supply. So, these drugs are also used in individuals with compromised cardiac function, such as, heart failure.
- Also, as they dilate the arteries overall, they can be used in individuals with complaint of angina and chest pain. These medications help in dilating the coronary arteries, promote blood supply to the cardiac muscle, and help relieve or prevent episodes of angina and chest pain.
