Veterinary Drugs and Treatments
Primary use of hydralazine in veterinary medicine is as an afterload
reducer for the adjunctive treatment in CHF in small animals, particularly
if mitral valve insufficiency
is the primary cause. It is also
useful in dogs and cats with large septal defects or severe aortic regurgitation.
Hydralazine is usually used in cases where enalapril is
not effective in clinical improving dogs with mitral insufficiency. It
is used to treat systemic hypertension, particularly in combination
with other drugs (e.g., beta-blockers) to offset hydralazine’s tendency
to cause reflex tachycardia and fluid retention.
