Which dihydropyridine drug is commonly used to manage hypertension?

Nifedipine is a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker that is specifically utilized in the management of hypertension. Dihydropyridines, such as nifedipine, primarily work by relaxing vascular smooth muscle and inducing vasodilation, which effectively lowers blood pressure. This mechanism allows them to be particularly effective in treating hypertension and is a key characteristic that distinguishes them from other classes of antihypertensive medications.

While diltiazem also functions as a calcium channel blocker, it is a non-dihydropyridine and has different indications and mechanisms. Propranolol and metoprolol are both beta-blockers, which lower blood pressure through mechanisms related to reducing heart rate and cardiac output, but they do not belong to the dihydropyridine class. Therefore, nifedipine is the most appropriate choice when identifying a dihydropyridine drug for hypertension management.