A multicenter trial of doxazosin in West Germany

The antihypertensive efficacy and safety of the new long-acting selective alpha 1 inhibitor doxazosin were assessed in patients seen in clinical practice. A total of 232 mild to moderate hypertensive patients were treated by 35 physicians. After an initial 2-week period (phase 1) during which eligibility to enter the study was determined (diastolic blood pressure [BP] of 95 to 114 mm Hg), all patients received doxazosin 1 to 8 mg once daily for 8 weeks (phase 2). Patients were then maintained for another 4 weeks on the dosage necessary to control diastolic BP to less than or equal to 90 mm Hg (phase 3). Efficacy and toleration of doxazosin therapy during the study period were good; 81% of evaluable patients (n = 180) achieved BP control with a once-daily mean dosage of 3.3 mg. At the end of phase 2 BPs were reduced by (systolic/diastolic) 23.8/17.3 (sitting) and 23.7/17.1 mm Hg (standing). Side effects were generally mild to moderate and either were tolerated or disappeared with continued therapy; 7 patients withdrew from the study because of intolerable side effects. Overall results demonstrated that doxazosin is suitable for treatment of mild to moderate hypertension and can be administered on a once-daily basis, which enhances compliance.