Efficacy and safety of doxazosin in hypertension therapy

In double-blind, controlled, parallel, comparative trials, the blood pressure-lowering effect of doxazosin was compared with that of placebo and other active agents. In 1 large, multicenter study, 903 patients were evaluated: 408 patients received doxazosin; 323, active comparative agents (nadolol, metoprolol, prazosin or hydrochlorothiazide); and 172, placebo. In another smaller study doxazosin was compared with terazosin treatment. Doxazosin administered as monotherapy lowered blood pressure significantly when compared with baseline and the placebo-treated group. Doxazosin therapy resulted in substantial reductions from baseline readings for systolic and diastolic blood pressure in both the standing and supine positions; the effect of doxazosin was similar to that of the comparative drugs; however, unlike beta blockers, no significant change in heart rate was demonstrated. The effectiveness and safety of doxazosin are practically identical in young and elderly patients, as well as in blacks and whites. Doxazosin exhibited a favorable lipid profile and the reported side effects of doxazosin were comparable to those observed with placebo and other study drugs. Another multicenter trial reported that doxazosin therapy was effective at low doses; 76% of those responders achieved controlled blood pressure at a mean dosage of 3.3 mg daily.