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Alpha adrenergic blockade by prazosin in therapy of essential hypertension
Author(s) -
S Ram C Venkata,
Anderson Ron J,
Hart Gary R,
Crumpler Charles P
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
clinical pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.941
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1532-6535
pISSN - 0009-9236
DOI - 10.1038/clpt.1981.101
Subject(s) - prazosin , norepinephrine , blood pressure , medicine , angiotensin ii , essential hypertension , blockade , agonist , endocrinology , adrenergic receptor , alpha (finance) , pharmacology , antagonist , receptor , dopamine , surgery , construct validity , patient satisfaction
To elucidate the mechanism of action of prazosin in lowering the blood pressure, we studied the vascular pressor responsiveness to the infusion of norepinephrine and angiotensin II before and after prazosin in patients with essential hypertension. After prazosin, the pressor response to the alpha agonist norepinephrine was markedly attenuated, but the vascular reactivity to angiotensin II was unchanged. There was a threefold increment in the dose of norepinephrine required to elicit a 20 mm Hg rise in diastolic blood pressure after prazosin therapy. These results confirm that prazosin induces significant alpha adrenergic blockade during the treatment of essential hypertension. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1981) 29 , 719–722; doi: 10.1038/clpt.1981.101