title: The effect of moxonidine on plasma lipid profile and on LDL subclass distribution.
abstract: Moxonidine is a new antihypertensive agent whose mechanism of action appears to involve specific stimulation of imidazoline receptors resulting in an inhibition of the activity of the central and peripheral sympathetic nervous system. The drug seems to behave neutrally with respect to plasma lipid parameters. However, there are no data on the effects of moxonidine on the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) subclass pattern or on the LDL oxidation susceptibility, both of which are known to play a prominent role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Thus, we undertook the present study to examine the influence of moxonidine on the LDL subspecies profile and their susceptibility to copper-induced oxidative modification in 20 hypertensive patients (11 men, 9 women) aged 38-61 years. Moxonidine administered at a dose of 0.4 mg daily for 8 weeks produced a significant decrease in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure (from 147 +/- 10 to 131 +/- 11 mm Hg, P < 0.001, and from 98 +/- 4.5 to 86 +/- 5 mm Hg, P < 0.001, respectively). No significant change in plasma lipid profile was observed after moxonidine administration. Additionally, no change in the susceptibility of LDL subclasses to copper-induced oxidative modification was noticed. Finally, drug therapy was not followed by any change in either LDL phenotype or in mass and composition of the three LDL subfractions. We conclude, that unlike other antihypertensive drugs, such as beta-blockers which may predispose to expression of a relatively atherogenic lipoprotein subclass pattern, moxonidine does not affect either plasma lipid parameters or lipoprotein composition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Ioannina Medical School, Greece.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Elisaf
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Petris
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bairaktari
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Karabina
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tzallas
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tselepis
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Siamopoulos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D003300:Copper / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000187:drug effects; D017211:Treatment Failure
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D007093:Imidazoles; D008055:Lipids; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D003300:Copper; C043482:moxonidine