EFFECTS OF DOXAZOSIN ON ORTHOSTATIC BLOOD-PRESSURE IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS WITH AND WITHOUT DIABETES-MELLITUS

Alpha(1)-blockers are thought to cause the orthostatic hypotension fre quently observed in patients with hypertension, We studied the degree to which doxazosin reduced the blood pressure in hypertensive patients with diabetes mellitus (HDM[+]) and without diabetes mellitus (HDM[-] ), when they were placed in a standing position, Seven HDM(-) patients and eight HDM(+) patients were included in this study, After diagnosi s, a blood pressure-monitoring system for ambulatory patients was atta ched to each patient, Blood pressure was measured, first with patients in a supine position and again 2 and 4 minutes after standing, The sa me procedure was performed on each patient after 12 weeks of doxazosin treatment. The mean dose of doxazosin was 2.1 +/- 1.5 mg for HDM(-) p atients and 2.4 +/- 2.5 mg for HDM(+) patients, Treatment with doxazos in resulted in a significant sitting blood pressure reduction as measu red by the ordinary cuff method. Doxazosin caused no statistically sig nificant orthostatic systolic blood pressure reduction at 2 minutes af ter standing for HDM(-) patients (15 +/- 5 mm Hg [control] vs 16 +/- 4 mm Hg [treatment]) and for HDM(+) patients (7 +/- 15 mm Hg [control] vs 8 +/- 14 [treatment], respectively), We concluded doxazosin did not have a statistically significant effect on the orthostatic blood pres sure reduction for both HDM(-) patients and HDM(+) patients with respe ct to the doses used.