title: Effects of doxazosin and atenolol on circulating endothelin-1 and von Willebrand factor in hypertensive middle-aged men.
abstract: Elevated levels of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and von Willebrand factor (vWF), both markers indicative of endothelial function, are associated with hypertension. In a randomized open study we investigated the effect of antihypertensive treatment with the alpha-blocker doxazosin (n = 23) or the beta-blocker atenolol (n = 22) for 22 weeks on circulating levels of ET-1 and vWF in middle-aged men with essential hypertension. Blood pressure reduction was satisfactorily achieved with both drugs, although the decrease in the atenolol group was larger than that in the doxazosin group. A reduction in the levels of vWF occurred in both groups, being more pronounced in the alpha-blocker group compared with the decrease on beta blockers, p = 0.004 and p = 0.056, respectively. In the alpha-blocker group, there was a significant correlation (r = 0.50, p = 0.022) between the reduction in diastolic blood pressure and the decline in vWF. A highly significant decrease in plasma ET-1 was obtained during beta blockade (p = 0.007), whereas no significant change occurred within the alpha-blocker group. There was, however, no correlation between the decrease in blood pressure and the reduction in ET-1. The different favorable effects of alpha and beta blockers on endothelial function expressed as vWF and ET-1, could indicate that the effects are probably related not only to the blood pressure per se, but also to the different pharmacologic mechanisms of the drugs.
authors.affiliation: Research Forum, Ullevål University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. ingebjorg.seljeflot@ulleval.no
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Seljeflot
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Arnesen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aspelin
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kierulf
mesh_terms: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000328:Adult; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001262:Atenolol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015415:Biomarkers; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D017292:Doxazosin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D004727:Endothelium / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D019332:Endothelin-1; D014841:von Willebrand Factor; D001262:Atenolol; D017292:Doxazosin