What do antihypertensive drugs primarily aim to achieve?

Antihypertensive drugs primarily aim to decrease blood pressure, which is their fundamental purpose in managing hypertension. By lowering blood pressure, these medications help to reduce the strain on the heart and blood vessels, thereby minimizing the risk of serious health complications such as stroke, heart attack, and kidney problems.

Antihypertensive medications work through various mechanisms, including relaxing blood vessels, reducing blood volume, or decreasing heart rate. This therapeutic action is crucial for individuals diagnosed with high blood pressure, as it helps to maintain cardiovascular health.

The other choices refer to different types of medications or effects that are not the primary purpose of antihypertensive drugs. For example, increasing alertness could be associated with stimulant medications, controlling abnormal heart rhythms pertains to antiarrhythmic drugs, and inducing sleep and drowsiness relates to sedatives or sleeping aids. Each of these has distinct therapeutic targets that diverge from the primary goal of antihypertensive treatment.