Final answer:
First-line therapy for chronic hypertension commonly includes diuretics, which reduce blood volume, and ACE inhibitors or ARBs, which inhibit the vasoconstrictive effects of angiotensin II.
Step-by-step explanation:
For the chronic management of hypertension, the first-line therapy includes a variety of antihypertensive medications. The correct answer to which drugs are used for first-line therapy for hypertension is D. Diuretics and ACE inhibitors or angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs). Commonly prescribed diuretics, such as hydrochlorothiazide, act by reducing blood volume and blood pressure. ACE inhibitors, including drugs like lisinopril and enalapril, block the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II, which is a powerful vasoconstrictor. Similarly, ARBs like losartan and valsartan block the action of angiotensin II on its receptors, thereby preventing its blood pressure-raising effects.