Final answer:
Blood pressure can be reduced with a vasodilator, an agent that causes vasodilation, thereby expanding blood vessels and lowering the blood pressure.
Step-by-step explanation:
Blood pressure may be reduced with the use of an agent that expands the diameter of blood vessels, or a vasodilator.
Vasodilation is the widening of blood vessels that results from relaxation of the blood vessel walls. When the smooth muscles in the arterial walls relax, the diameter of the vessel increases, forming a larger channel for blood to flow through, which reduces blood pressure. Agents that induce vasodilation can help manage conditions like hypertension (high blood pressure) by allowing blood to flow more easily and reducing the load on the heart. This is particularly important in diseases such as arteriosclerosis, where the arterial compliance is reduced, leading to increased pressure and resistance within the vessel.
Vasodilators can help counteract these effects by expanding the blood vessels and reducing blood pressure, thus easing the work required from the heart and mitigating risks associated with hypertension and coronary heart disease.