Evaluation of Clonidine Hydrochloride (Catapres)
A New Antihypertensive Agent
- Mary Ellen Kosman, PhD
Abstract
Clonidine hydrochloride is a new antihypertensive agent with a primary site of action in the central nervous system. When administered with a diuretic, it is effective for long-term therapy and may be particularly useful in patients with moderately severe hypertension. Clonidine is comparable to methyldopa in efficacy but may cause side-effects more frequently. The only potentially serious adverse reaction that has been reported is a rebound increase in blood pressure that may occur following rapid withdrawal.
(JAMA 233:174-176, 1975)
Footnotes
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Scientific data on clonidine hydrochloride were supplied by Boehringer Ingelheim Ltd., Elmsford, NY.
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Reprint requests to Department of Drugs, American Medical Association, 535 N Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60610 (Dr. Kosman).
