Changes of Nocturnal Blood Pressure Dipping Status in Hypertensives by Nighttime Dosing of α-Adrenergic Blocker, Doxazosin

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Abstract
Abstract —Abnormal nocturnal blood pressure (BP) dipping status may be partly determined by nocturnal sympathetic activity. We studied the effect of nighttime dosing of an α 1 -adrenergic blocker, doxazosin, on the BP dipping status of 118 hypertensives, all of whom underwent 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring before and after treatment. The mean nighttime/daytime ratio of systolic BP was increased (0.91 after therapy versus 0.89 at baseline, P P P P <0.05). In conclusion, nighttime dosing with doxazosin markedly affects the nocturnal BP dipping status of hypertensives, but the apparently greater reduction in nighttime pressure in nondippers and risers may be, at least partly, due to the effect of regression to the mean. The most important determinants of the effect of doxazosin were the absolute BP levels, both day and night, rather than dipping status per se.

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