A drug that is irritating to the vessels is known as which of the following?

A drug that is irritating to the vessels is classified as a vesicant. Vesicants are substances that can cause blisters and tissue damage when they come into contact with skin or mucous membranes, and they can also lead to irritation when administered intravenously. This irritation can result in inflammation of the vessel, and if extravasation occurs—meaning the drug leaks out of the vein into surrounding tissues—it can cause significant harm and complications.

Understanding the nature of vesicants is crucial in vascular interventional procedures, where the administration of certain drugs needs to be managed carefully to avoid adverse effects on the vascular system and surrounding tissues.

In contrast, desiccants are substances used to remove moisture from materials and are not relevant to vessel irritation. Anticoagulants are drugs that prevent blood clotting and do not have irritative properties related to vessels. Thrombolytics are agents that dissolve blood clots but again do not typically cause direct irritation to blood vessels like vesicants do. This distinction helps in recognizing the specific roles and impacts of various medications used in interventional practices.