Article date: April 1988
By: AH Deering, JG Riddell, DW Harron, RG Shanks, in Volume 25, Issue 4, pages 417-424
1. The effects of the acute and chronic administration of the alpha 1‐ adrenoceptor antagonist alfuzosin (5 mg twice daily for 7 days) on baroreflex function, physiological tremor and sedation (visual analogue scale) were investigated in six healthy volunteers. 2. Phenylephrine‐ systolic pressure dose‐response curves were shifted (P less than 0.05) to the right by alfuzosin compared with placebo on day 1, and on day 8 prior to the administration of alfuzosin indicating significant alpha‐ adrenoceptor blockade over 24 h with 5 mg twice daily administration. 3. Baroreflex sensitivity (delta R‐R ms mmHg‐1 systolic arterial pressure) was reduced (P less than 0.05) by alfuzosin compared with placebo on day 1 (13.8 +/‐ 2.6 vs 20.6 +/‐ 3.6 ms mmHg‐1) and on day 8 (13.4 +/‐ 1.7 vs 21.1 +/‐ 2.7 ms mmHg‐1). 4. Maximum power (microV2) or frequency (Hz) of physiological tremor did not change 2 h after alfuzosin administration on day 1 (13.7 +/‐ 4.4 microV2, 9.2 +/‐ 0.3 Hz) or day 8 (11.5 +/‐ 4.3 microV2, 10.0 +/‐ 0.4 Hz) compared with placebo on day 1 (16.9 +/‐ 7.5 microV2, 10.0 +/‐ 0.4 Hz) and day 8 (17.3 +/‐ 5.7 microV2, 10.2 +/‐ 0.8 Hz). 5. Alfuzosin 5 mg twice daily did not cause sedation on day 1 or day 8. 6. In conclusion the reduction in baroreflex sensitivity with the alpha‐adrenoceptor antagonist alfuzosin may contribute to its antihypertensive activity in reducing the reflex tachycardia associated with its hypotensive action.
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1988.tb03324.x
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