Low Dose Oral and Transdermal Therapy of Hypertension

This book brings together papers presented at an international symposium on centrally­ acting antihypertensive agents held in Geneva, Switzerland, in association with the 10th Scientific Meeting of the International Society of Hypertension. A major focus of this symposium was the sympatholytic agent, clonidine, and was partly stimulated by the re­ cent development of an innovative transdermal system for administering this antihyper­ tensive drug. Although clonidine has been available to clinicians for several years, there has been a re­ cent reawakening of interest in this type of medication. The centrally-acting antihyper­ tensive agents appear to be effective both as monotherapy and in combination with other drugs. There are no significant contraindications to their use, and they do not appear to produce metabolic side effects. In this symposium we have paid attention to two types of patients: those with uncomplicated mild hypertension, and those with more difficult forms of hypertension associated with concurrent conditions.

Cardiovascular and Neurohumoral Effects of Long-Term Oral Clonidine Monotherapy in Essential Hypertensive Patients.- Alpha-Adrenoceptor Density and Clonidine.- Transdermal Clonidine in Elderly Patients with Mild Hypertension: Effects on Blood Pressure and Plasma Catecholamines.- Effects of Catapres-TTS on Cerebral Blood Flow in Elderly Hypertensive Patients.- Discussion.- Lipid Metabolism and Antihypertensive Treatment.- Diabetes and Hypertension: Clonidine Monotherapy.- The Role of the Sympathetic Nervous System in the Control of Left Ventricular Mass in Hypertension.- Discussion.- Clonidine Transdermal Delivery System: Cutaneous Toxicity Studies.- Transdermal Clonidine in Essential Hypertension: Problems During Long-Term Treatment.- Discussion.- Low Dose Oral and Transdermal Application of Clonidine in Mild Hypertension: Hemodynamic and Biochemical Correlates.- Regression of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Nineteen Hypertensive Patients Treated with Clonidine for Eighteen Months: A Prospective Study.- Pharmacodynamics and Pharmacokinetics of Oral and Transdermal Clonidine in Chronic Renal Insufficiency.- A Multicenter Study on the Use of Transdermal Clonidine in Patients with Essential Hypertension.- Antihypertensive Action of Catapres-TTS.- Discussion.- Catapres Transdermal Therapeutic System (TTS) for Long-Term Treatment of Hypertension.- Transdermal Clonidine/Atenolol in the Management of Mild to Moderate Hypertension.- Structure and Function of Catapres-TTS.- Interaction of Clonidine and Beta Blocking Agents in the Treatment of Essential Hypertension.- Catapres-TTS Monotherapy for the Treatment of Mild Hypertension in General Practice: A Preliminary Report.- Clonidine and Placental Perfusion.- Effects of Low Oral Clonidine Doses in the Therapy of Mild Hypertension.- Absorption and Excretion of Clonidine Following Application of Catapres-TTS to Different Skin Sites.- ?-Blockers or Clonidine in Antihypertensive Therapy?.- Pharmacokinetics of Transdermally Delivered Clonidine.- Discussion.- Author Index.