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What Is Hydralazine?

Hydralazine hydrochloride is a prescription antihypertensive medicine used alone or with other medicines for hypertension. Oral tablets are available in several strengths, including 10 mg, 25 mg, 50 mg, and 100 mg.

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What Is Hydralazine?

Hydralazine hydrochloride is a prescription antihypertensive medicine used alone or with other medicines for hypertension. Oral tablets are available in several strengths, including 10 mg, 25 mg, 50 mg, and 100 mg.

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How Does Hydralazine Lower Blood Pressure?

The precise mechanism is not fully defined. Hydralazine directly relaxes vascular smooth muscle and acts mainly on arterioles, which lowers peripheral vascular resistance and arterial blood pressure. Reflex increases in heart rate, stroke volume, cardiac output, and renin activity can occur.

Who Is Treated With Hydralazine?

Oral hydralazine labeling covers hypertension as monotherapy or adjunctive therapy. Coronary artery disease and mitral valvular rheumatic heart disease are contraindications. Patients receiving long-term therapy undergo clinical and laboratory assessment for adverse effects associated with treatment.

How Are Hydralazine Tablets Dosed?

Current oral labeling starts with 10 mg four times daily for the first two to four days, then 25 mg four times daily for the remainder of the first week. From the second week, the dose can increase to 50 mg four times daily. Maintenance dosing is adjusted to the lowest dose that controls blood pressure.

What Serious Risks Are Linked to Hydralazine?

Hydralazine can cause a lupus-like syndrome that can include glomerulonephritis. Myocardial stimulation can trigger angina, ischemic electrocardiogram changes, or myocardial infarction in susceptible patients. Other reported concerns include peripheral neuritis and blood-cell abnormalities. Higher daily doses are associated with greater toxicity risk.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hydralazine

What condition does oral hydralazine treat?

Oral hydralazine is indicated for hypertension, either alone or with other antihypertensive medicines.

How does hydralazine lower blood pressure?

Hydralazine directly relaxes vascular smooth muscle and reduces peripheral vascular resistance.

What is the initial oral hydralazine dose?

Current labeling starts with 10 mg four times daily for the first two to four days.

Can hydralazine cause a lupus-like reaction?

Yes. A lupus-like syndrome, including glomerulonephritis, has been reported during treatment.

References

DailyMed - HYDRALAZINE HYDROCHLORIDE tablet. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/lookup.cfm?setid=db7500f3-f8a6-46b1-bb64-9727617a9643. Date Accessed October 1, 2026.

Hydralazine. LiverTox. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK548580/. Date Accessed October 1, 2026.

Hydralazine. MedlinePlus. https://www.medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a682246.html. Date Accessed October 1, 2026.

Hydralazine. PubChem. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Hydralazine. Date Accessed October 1, 2026.

Hydralazine. StatPearls. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470296/. Date Accessed October 1, 2026.