Hydralazine
- Class: Direct vasodilator
- Used for: high blood pressure
- Say it: hye-DRAL-uh-zeen
- Forms: tablet, injection
Remember the name – LAZINE → lazy
HYDRALAZINE makes the artery go LAZY. It stops squeezing, and the pressure falls away.
It is a direct arteriolar dilator — no receptor, no enzyme, just relaxed muscle. The heart answers that laziness with a reflex fast pulse, which is why it is usually paired with a beta blocker.
HYDRALAZINE makes the artery go LAZY. It stops squeezing, and the pressure falls away.
It is a direct arteriolar dilator — no receptor, no enzyme, just relaxed muscle. The heart answers that laziness with a reflex fast pulse, which is why it is usually paired with a beta blocker.
Mnemonic: HydrALAZINE pairs with a nitrate
A direct arterial dilator. Combined with a nitrate it is the heart-failure regimen for patients who cannot take an ACE inhibitor, and it is particularly beneficial in Black patients.
A direct arterial dilator. Combined with a nitrate it is the heart-failure regimen for patients who cannot take an ACE inhibitor, and it is particularly beneficial in Black patients.
Side effects
Common: headache, fast heartbeat, fluid retention
Serious: drug-induced lupus
Typical dose
25–100 mg two to four times daily
A lupus-like syndrome appears at higher doses and with long use.
Check yourself
Hydralazine is classically combined with which drug in heart failure?
- A nitrate, such as isosorbide dinitrate
- A beta blocker on its own
- A statin
- Digoxin
Show answer
A. A nitrate, such as isosorbide dinitrate
Hydralazine dilates arteries and the nitrate dilates veins, so together they unload the heart from both sides. Neither alone reproduces the effect.
See it, don't memorize it
The app has the mechanism comic and a patient case for Hydralazine – plus the name link, the class mnemonic, pronunciation you can hear, and a self-check, for the top 100 drugs. One purchase, no subscription, no account.