A Study on the Effect of Prazosin in Hypertensive Patients in Korea

The effects of Prazosin administered alone or in combination were studied in 30 hypertensive patients at the Busan national University Hospital, Korea, between August 1974 and march 1975. The Patients were studied for up to 6 months; their ages ranged from 17 years to 68 years with mean age 51.4 years; 15 patients were male and 15 female. Satisfactory control of blood pressure was achieved in all patients. The group controlled by prazosin alone had the lowest mean original blood pressures, the group requiring prazosin plus polythiazide occupied an intermediate position, and the group requiring prazosin plus polythiazide plus beta blockade had the highest mean original blood pressures.

6 patients responded satisfactorily to prazosin, alone. In this group the supine systolic blood pressures before and after treatment were 185±16 and 150±12mmHg respectively; the supine diastolic pressures 106±5 and 90±3mmHg respectively. The standing systolic blood pressures before and after treatment were 173±13 and 134±4mmHg respectively; the standing diastolic pressures 102±5mmHg and 81±6mmHg respectively.

17 patients responded satisfactorily to the combination of prazosin and polythiazide. In this group the supine systolic blood pressures before and after treatment were 197±26 and 148±16mmHg respectively; the supine diastolic pressures before and after treatment were 121±13 and 92±6mmHg respectively. The standing systolic blood pressures before and after treament were 188±27 and 148±16mmHg respectively; the standing diastolic pressures before and after treatment were 110±14 and 85±5mmHg respectively.

The remaining 7 patients responded satisfactorily to the combination of prazosin, polythiazide and a beta blocking agent (tolamolol). In this group the supine systolic blood pressures before and after treatment were 230±25 and 181±6mmHg respectively; the supine diastolic pressures before and after treatment were 138±15 and 93±6mmHg respectively. The standing systolic blood pressures before and after treatment were 224±24 and 151±9mmHg respectively; the standing diastolic pressures before and after treatment were 136±12 and 75±4mmHg respectively.

5 patients complained of headache, palpitations and general malaise; oedema was observed in 5 patients; 5 patients complained of drowsiness and 5 patients, fatiguability. In each case the side effects were of short duration not lasting beyond 3 days.