Clinical evaluation of prazosin in 20 private practice patients

The safety and efficacy of prazosin alone and in combination with polythiazide are being assessed in an ongoing study of private patients. All patients entering the study have diastolic pressures consistently greater than 100 mm Hg while taking placebo. Thus far, 20 patients have been given therapy for periods ranging from three to 10 months. In patients with mild hypertension, prazosin in a dosage of 5 mg three or four times a day was consistently effective in lowering blood pressure to less than 100 mm Hg and often reduced it to less than 95 mm Hg. The patients with moderate to severe hypertension responded particularly well when polythiazide was added to prazosin, while those continuing to receive prazosin alone for a comparable period showed no further improvement. Few if any side effects were observed which can be attributed to prazosin.