Possible use of indoramin in patients with chronic neurogenic bladder dysfunction

Indoramin, which has great selectivity for alpha-1-receptors, was administered orally for 10 days to 21 patients with urinary retention or residual urine caused by neurogenic vesicourethral dysfunction. After indoramin therapy 17 patients were able to empty the bladder with residual urine less than 50 ml. There was a significant decrease in the maximum urethral pressure (23.87 plus or minus 4.13 cm. water) and in the functional profile length (0.53 plus or minus 0.19 cm.). A diminution in the sphincter electromyography activity was observed in 3 patients. Two paraplegics who were investigated during spinal shock could not achieve voiding after indoramin therapy. However, involuntary urine leakage associated with a change of posture occurred in 2 patients but subsided after the dosage of indoramin was decreased. No other side effect was observed. It may be desirable to use drugs with selective action upon alpha-1-receptors since blockade of noradrenergic autoreceptors (alpha-2) also by nonspecific alpha-adrenoceptor blocking agents, namely phentolamine, phenoxybenzamine and so forth, causes the overflow of norepinephrine, which would produce symptoms such as tachycardia by stimulating beta-receptors.