Which medication class can lead to reflex tachycardia as a side effect?

Reflex tachycardia is a compensatory mechanism that occurs in response to a sudden drop in blood pressure. Nitrates, which are used as antianginal agents, can lead to vasodilation and a reduction in preload and afterload. When blood vessels dilate, blood pressure may decrease, prompting the body to compensate by increasing heart rate, resulting in reflex tachycardia.

This side effect is particularly common with short-acting nitrates and occurs because the body attempts to maintain adequate perfusion to vital organs despite the reduced cardiac output caused by the vasodilatory effects of the medication. Nitrates act on smooth muscle, leading to greater venous capacitance and decreased return of blood to the heart, which lowers blood pressure and can trigger this reflex response.

Other medication classes listed do not typically induce reflex tachycardia. While some calcium channel blockers may cause reflex tachycardia due to their dilatory actions, it is not as prominent as with nitrates. Beta-blockers are specifically used to reduce heart rate and are not associated with reflex tachycardia, while antiplatelets primarily focus on preventing thrombosis and do not affect heart rate directly.