Which of the following is a post-exercise hypotension risk drug class?

• A. Alpha-blockers
• B. ACE inhibitors
• C. Beta-blockers
• D. Diuretics

Answer: (A)

Post-exercise hypotension risk arises when medications blunt the body’s ability to maintain blood pressure after activity. Alpha-blockers do this most directly because they block alpha-1 receptors, causing vasodilation and reducing peripheral vascular resistance. After exercise, blood vessels are already dilated, and the normal reflex that constricts them to keep BP stable is impaired by alpha-blockade. The result is a more pronounced drop in blood pressure once the activity stops.

ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers affect BP in other ways—ACE inhibitors lower BP through RAAS blockade but don’t specifically disrupt post-exercise vasoconstriction; beta-blockers blunt heart rate and cardiac output rather than the vascular reflex that stabilizes BP after exercise. Diuretics lower BP via reduced blood volume, which can contribute to hypotension in some situations but aren’t the classic source of post-exercise BP drops.