title: Changes in plasma norepinephrine concentration and thrombocyte alpha 2-adrenoceptor density during long-term antihypertensive therapy with nitrendipine and captopril.
abstract: Antihypertensive drugs influence the sympathetic nervous system in different ways that may cause adverse or beneficial effects. We treated 48 hypertensive patients with either nitrendipine (10-20 mg twice daily, b.i.d.) or captopril (25-50 mg b.i.d.) for 16 weeks to evaluate changes in plasma catecholamines, platelet alpha 2- and lymphocyte beta 2-adrenoceptors. Blood pressure (BP) decreased from 153/95 to 135/87 mm Hg with captopril and from 155/99 to 137/89 mm Hg with nitrendipine. Treatment with nitrendipine significantly stimulated plasma norepinephrine (NE) from 327 +/- 37 to 446 +/- 50 pg/ml, and treatment with captopril resulted in a significant reduction in platelet alpha 2-adrenoceptor density from 265 +/- 39 to 171 +/- 26 fmol/mg protein. Despite having equal BP-lowering properties, captopril and nitrendipine have different effects on the sympathetic nervous system. Stimulation of plasma NE during long-term treatment with nitrendipine may contribute to possible adverse effects, whereas reduction in alpha 2-adrenoceptors induced by captopril may contribute to the vasodilating effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition.
authors.affiliation: Medical Clinic II, University of Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Steffen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Weller
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kugel
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Freiheit
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Krone
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002216:Captopril / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009568:Nitrendipine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood*; D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta; D009568:Nitrendipine; D002216:Captopril; D009638:Norepinephrine