Which of the following is NOT a common class of antihypertensive medications?

Antidepressants are not a common class of antihypertensive medications. Antihypertensive drugs are specifically designed to treat high blood pressure and include various classes that target different physiological mechanisms to reduce blood pressure effectively.

ACE inhibitors, for example, work by inhibiting the angiotensin-converting enzyme, which prevents the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II, leading to vasodilation and reduced blood pressure. Calcium channel blockers block calcium from entering heart and blood vessel cells, resulting in decreased heart rate and improved blood flow. ARBs, or angiotensin receptor blockers, work by blocking the effects of angiotensin II directly at its receptor, leading to similar effects as ACE inhibitors in terms of blood pressure reduction.

In contrast, while some antidepressants may have side effects that could influence blood pressure, they are primarily utilized for the treatment of mood disorders and are not recognized as first-line treatments for hypertension. Thus, they do not belong to the established classes of medications prescribed specifically for managing high blood pressure.