The role of alpha 1-blockers in combination therapy for hypertension.
Antihypertensive monotherapy provides adequate blood pressure control in less than 50% of patients with hypertension (BP > 140/90 mmHg), especially those with stage 2-3 disease. This article reviews clinical studies that demonstrate that add-on therapy with an alpha1-blocker (doxazosin, terazosin or prazosin) is an effective and well-tolerated regimen for improving blood pressure control in patients with inadequately controlled hypertension. Furthermore, alpha1-blockers have therapeutic benefits that go beyond blood pressure management. They have a small but positive effect on the serum lipid profile and they have favourable or benign effects on conditions that frequently coexist with hypertension, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus and benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Zusman
R M
RM
Division of Hypertension and Vascular Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114, USA.
D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy; D017292:Doxazosin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000188:drug therapy; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D011224:Prazosin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; C041226:Terazosin; D017292:Doxazosin; D011224:Prazosin