Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
methyldopa

methyldopa

7.8
A medicine that lowers high blood pressure
  • noun
  • /ˌmɛθɪlˈdoʊpə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : metildopa
  • My friend's doctor recommended methyldopa because it is safe to use during pregnancy.

Examples

  • Doctors often prescribe methyldopa for patients with high blood pressure to help manage their condition.

  • The medication methyldopa has been effective in lowering my blood pressure.

  • Beta-blockers, hydrazine, and methyldopa are deemed safer options in pregnancy.

    Academic text (2015)

Synonyms

alpha methyl dopa
vsmethyldopa
  • Specialized
6.1

A medicine that lowers high blood pressure, often used during pregnancy

is the same chemical but commonly identified by a trade name
Aldomet
vsmethyldopa
  • Specialized
8.3

A medicine with methyldopa that lowers high blood pressure

refers to the active chemical rather than the brand label

Surface Forms

methyldopa singular
methyldopas plural

Morphology

methyldopa = dopa (opaque) = methyl + dopa

The formation is a technical chemical derivation (methyl group added to dopa); knowing 'methyl' and 'dopa' does not allow an average learner to infer the clinical meaning 'antihypertensive drug'.

Etymology

Methyldopa comes from methyl ('a small chemical group') and dopa ('a natural body chemical related to dopamine'). So the name tells you it is a chemical medicine that works like a body chemical to help lower high blood pressure.