Hydralazine HCl

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.