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Decreasing afterload refers to reducing the resistance that the heart must work against to eject blood during systole. Arterial vasodilators are specifically designed to relax and widen the arteries, thereby reducing the systemic vascular resistance and decreasing the afterload on the heart. This therapeutic action can improve cardiac output and relieve symptoms in conditions such as heart failure and hypertension.

The other classes of drugs mentioned have different mechanisms of action. Beta blockers primarily reduce heart rate and contractility and may not significantly impact afterload. Calcium channel blockers can cause vasodilation, but their primary use is often more focused on heart rate and control of hypertension rather than specifically targeting afterload reduction. Diuretics, while effective in reducing fluid overload in conditions like heart failure, do not directly decrease afterload; rather, they decrease preload by reducing blood volume. Thus, arterial vasodilators are uniquely suited for the direct reduction of afterload.