title: Add-on therapy with doxazosin in patients with hypertension influences arterial stiffness and albuterol-mediated arterial vasodilation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Doxazosin is an antihypertensive agent with largely unknown effects on arterial stiffness and vasodilation. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the addition of doxazosin extended-release (ER) to the standard management of hypertension in patients with inadequately controlled blood pressure (BP) on arterial stiffness and arterial vasodilation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty patients with inadequately controlled hypertension were treated with 4 mg doxazosin ER daily for 16 weeks as an adjunct to their existing antihypertensive regimen.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Doxazosin ER add-on therapy was associated with significantly reduced systolic (P < 0.0001) and diastolic (P = 0.0003) BP, improved arterial stiffness (determined by digital volume pulse analysis (P = 0.048) and albuterol-mediated arterial vasodilation (P = 0.030).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Add-on therapy with 4 mg of doxazosin ER daily reduces BP and arterial stiffness and improves arterial vasodilation in response to adrenergic stimulation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology-Intensive Therapy, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland. awykreto@ptkardio.pl
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wykretowicz
authors.forename: Przemyslaw
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Guzik
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Krauze
authors.forename: Karolina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Adamska
authors.forename: Agata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Milewska
authors.forename: Henryk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wysocki
mesh_terms: D000420:Albuterol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D017292:Doxazosin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D017292:Doxazosin; D000420:Albuterol