ISSN : 1301-5680
e-ISSN : 2149-8156
Turkish Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery     
The Effect of Doxazosin on Arterial Distensibility in Hypertensive Patients With Type II Diabetes Mellitus
Mustafa Yıldız, Bülent Öztürk, Murat İnnice, Güler Türkeş, Yüksel Altuntaş
Department of Internal Medicine, Şişli Etfal Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul
Background: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of doxazosin, an alpha-1 adrenergic receptor blocker, on arterial distensibility in hypertensive patients with type II diabetes mellitus.

Methods: The study included 46 outpatients (31 females, 15 males; mean age 58.4±8.3 years; range 37 to 70 years) with type II diabetes mellitus and stage 1 or 2 hypertension according to the JNC 7 report. In addition to antidiabetic and antilipidemic drugs, the patients were given doxazosin 2 mg daily for eight weeks, during which measurements of blood pressure and pulse were made every two weeks. To regulate blood pressure, the dose of doxazosin was increased to 4 mg in the second week in three patients (6.5%), and in the fourth week in four patients (8.7%). Arterial distensibility was assessed by measuring carotidfemoral pulse wave velocity with an automatic device (Complior Colson, Createch Industrie, France).

Results: Compared to pretreatment values, significant decreases occurred at the end of eight weeks in the following parameters: systolic blood pressure (p<0.001), diastolic blood pressure (p=0.002), mean blood pressure (p<0.001), pulse pressure (p<0.001), heart rate (p<0.001), and pulse wave velocity (p=0.004). The only adverse effect was headache seen in four patients (8.7%).

Conclusion: Both blood pressures and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity decreased after doxazosin therapy. Being an indicator of increased arterial elasticity, decreased pulse wave velocity with doxazosin treatment shows that doxazosin is a good option in hypertensive patients with type II diabetes mellitus.

Keywords : Antihypertensive agents; aorta; blood pressure; carotid arteries; cholesterol; coronary disease; diabetes mellitus, type 2; diastole; doxazosin; hypertension; pulse
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