Centrally acting antihypertensives reduce arteriolar muscular tone by reducing sympathetic activity.
First generation drugs, such as clonidine and methydopa, act as alpha-2 adrenoceptor agonists resulting in inhibition of the sympathetic nuclei in the rostroventrolateral medulla. Side-effects of these agents preclude their widespread use as first line hypertensive agents.
A second generation centrally-acting antihypertensive was subsequently introduced
The summary of product characteristics should be consulted before prescribing this drug.
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