Cardiovascular Drugs — MCQs

Q: Which of the following medications is primarily used to decrease preload?

Nitroglycerine. ***Nitroglycerine*** - **Nitroglycerine** primarily causes **venodilation**, leading to pooling of blood in the peripheral veins and a reduction in venous return to the heart. - This decrease in venous return directly lowers the **preload** on the heart, reducing ventricular end-diastolic volume and pressure. *Hydralazine* - **Hydralazine** is an **arteriolar vasodilator** that primarily acts to decrease **afterload** by relaxing arterial smooth muscle. - While it can indirectly affect cardiac output, its main effect is not on preload. *Nifedipine* - **Nifedipine** is a **calcium channel blocker** that mainly causes **arterial vasodilation**, leading to a reduction in systemic vascular resistance and **afterload**. - It has minimal direct effects on venodilation or preload. *Losartan* - **Losartan** is an **angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB)** that primarily acts by blocking the effects of angiotensin II. - This leads to **vasodilation** (both arterial and venous, though more arterial) and a decrease in blood pressure, impacting both preload and afterload but not primarily focused on preload reduction like nitroglycerine.

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