Final answer:
To treat hypertension, drugs classified as alpha and beta blockers and diuretics are used. Alpha blockers relax blood vessels, while beta blockers reduce heart rate and the force of its contractions. Diuretics lower blood pressure by removing excess sodium and water from the body.
Step-by-step explanation:
Drugs used to treat hypertension fall into several classifications, with the most relevant ones being alpha and beta blockers and diuretics. Alpha blockers work by relaxing the blood vessels and lowering blood pressure by preventing norepinephrine from tightening the muscles in the walls of smaller arteries and veins. Consequently, alpha blockers reduce the arterial resistance, decreasing blood pressure.
Beta blockers, like metoprolol and propranolol, block the effect of adrenaline on the body's beta receptors, which slows the nerve impulses that travel through the heart, as a result, the heart needs less blood and oxygen and can beat more slowly, lowering the blood pressure.
Diuretics, commonly referred to as water pills, help the kidneys eliminate sodium and water from the body. This process decreases the blood volume, subsequently reducing the pressure on the arterial walls and lowering blood pressure.