Pharmacy PEBC Practice Exam 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Diuretics play a crucial role in managing hypertension primarily by promoting water loss and reducing blood volume. When diuretics are administered, they act on the kidneys to enhance the excretion of sodium and water through urine. This process leads to a decrease in the overall blood volume, which in turn lowers the pressure exerted against the walls of blood vessels. As blood volume decreases, vascular resistance can also be reduced, contributing to lower blood pressure.

Additionally, the reduction in blood volume alleviates the workload on the heart and helps prevent conditions associated with hypertension, such as heart failure. This mechanism is especially important in hypertensive patients, as it targets one of the contributing factors to elevated blood pressure—excess volume in the circulatory system.

Other options suggest mechanisms that do not align with how diuretics function. For instance, increasing blood volume would lead to heightened pressure, not a decrease in hypertension. Reducing kidney function contradicts the intended action of diuretics, which aim to enhance renal excretion. Blocking calcium channels refers to a different class of antihypertensive medications known as calcium channel blockers, which modify vascular smooth muscle contraction rather than directly affecting blood volume.