Acute and chronic haemodynamic effects of doxazosin in hypertension at rest and during exercise

The acute and chronic haemodynamic effects of doxazosin were studied in 14 patients (10 males, four females) with essential hypertension, at rest supine and sitting and during 100 W bicycling exercise. Blood pressure (BP) was recorded intra-arterially in the brachial artery, cardiac output (CO) was measured by Cardiogreen and heart rate (HR) by ECG. One hour after injection of doxazosin 0.5-1.0 mg i.v., mean arterial pressure (MAP) was reduced by 8% at rest supine, 12% at rest sitting and 10% at 100 W (all changes statistically significant), associated with a reduction in total peripheral resistance index (TPRI) of 5% at rest supine, 9% at rest sitting (P less than 0.01) and 14% at 100 W (P less than 0.001). HR was slightly increased (5%, NS) and cardiac index (CI) was unchanged during rest and slightly increased during exercise (4%, P less than 0.05). Patients were then given doxazosin capsules (2-16 mg once daily), aiming at a casual BP of less than or equal to 140/90 mmHg without side-effects. Central haemodynamics were restudied after 1 year. After 1 year of doxazosin treatment, MAP was reduced by 13% at rest supine, 16% at rest sitting and 17% at 100 W (all P-values less than 0.001). TPRI was reduced by 19% at rest supine, 20% at rest sitting and 18% at 100 W (all changes statistically significant). CI was increased by 8% at rest supine (P less than 0.05) but was unchanged sitting and at 100 W. It is concluded that doxazosin lowers BP through a reduction in TPRI acutely as well as chronically, without reductions in CO. BP control was maintained over 1 year without side-effects. Thus, doxazosin normalizes central haemodynamics in patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension, both at rest and during exercise.