A NEW, POTENT ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUG

Abstract

The antihypertensive effects of orally given guanethidine have been studied in 18 patients hospitalized for hypertensive cardiovascular disease. In seven of these, therapy with either reserpine or chlorothiazide or both was continued during the administration of guanethidine. Amounts of guanethidine needed to maintain a satisfactory blood pressure under these conditions ranged from 25 mg. every other day to 150 mg. thrice daily. These dosage levels caused bradycardia in nine patients and transient, mild diarrhea in eight. Orthostatic hypotension occurred in all patients; in two the blood pressure in the supine position was not reduced. Laboratory tests showed that injections of guanethidine modified the responses of experimental animals to subsequent injections of either pressor or depressor drugs.