title: Antihypertensive effect of a dopamine beta hydroxylase inhibitor, bupicomide: a comparison with hydralazine.
abstract: The cardiovascular effects of a new antihypertensive drug, bupicomide, were compared with those of hydralazine in 6 patients with mild to moderate hypertension. The mean supine arterial pressure of patients was reduced 15.2 mm Hg by bupicomide (900 to 2,000 mg/day) and 15.7 mm Hg by hydralazine (300 to 600 mg/day). Heart rate increased an average of 11.3 bpm during bupicomide and 14.5 bpm by hydralazine. Neither drug was associated with a postural decrease in mean arterial pressure. The heart rate response during maximum tolerated treadmill exercise was not diminished by either drug. Cardiac index was increased during administration of both drugs. Bupicomide and hydralazine reduced forearm vascular resistance, while renal blood flow and renal vascular resistance were not significantly modified. Evidence of equivalent augmentation of sympathetic nervous activity during administration of both drugs consisted of equal and significant increases in heart rate and urinary norepinephrine excretion, and decreases in duration of the pre-ejection period. The absolute values of these parameters were correlated with mean arterial pressure, which may indicate that the increase in sympathetic nervous activity was mediated by baroreceptor reflexes. Although bupicomide inhibits dopamine beta-hydroxylase, our results suggest that it is acting as a direct vasodilator.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000097:blood; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D005542:Forearm / Q000098:blood supply; D005669:Fusaric Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006830:Hydralazine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000652:urine; D010848:Picolinic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D012083:Renin / Q000097:blood; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D010848:Picolinic Acids; C002659:bupicomide; D006830:Hydralazine; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase; D012083:Renin; D005669:Fusaric Acid; D009638:Norepinephrine