The effect of single and repeated oral doses of indoramin 25 mg, prazosin 1 mg and placebo on arterial pressure and heart rate supine, standing and after exercise was studied in five normal volunteers.
Each study period lasted four days. Observations were made before, and at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 h after drug administration on days 1 and 4. On days 2 and 3, the drugs were administered 8‐hourly, and observations made before and 2 h after the morning dose on each day.
Neither drug changed arterial pressure or heart rate in the supine position, or after exercise. Neither drug reduced standing diastolic arterial pressure.
On day 1, indoramin reduced standing systolic arterial pressure from 119.0 ± 3.4 mm Hg (mean ± s.e. mean) to 100.0 ± 10.3 mm Hg at 2 h (P<0.01) and 99.4 ± 7.6 mm Hg at 4 h (P<0.01). This reduction was accompanied by a slight increase in heart rate, which was not significant (P>0.05). The effects of indoramin on arterial pressure and heart rate observed on day 4, after repeated drug administration, were similar.
On day 1, prazosin produced a slight reduction in standing systolic arterial pressure which was not significant (P>0.05). This reduction was accompanied by a marked increase in standing heart rate, from 85.0 ± 3.9 beats min−1 to 108.8 ± 3.6 beats min−1 at 2 h (P<0.01) and 101.6 ± 5.9 beats min_1at 4 h (P<0.05).
On day 4, prazosin reduced standing systolic arterial pressure to the same extent as indoramin, with no increase in heart rate. The effects of the two drugs were similar on day 4, but different on day 1.
One subject became syncopal after the first dose of prazosin, and another subject after both prazosin and indoramin.
Plasma renin activity (PRA) was reduced by placebo on day 4 (P<0.02), and increased by prazosin on day 1 (P<0.05). Indoramin had no effect on PRA.
The difference in effects observed after indoramin and prazosin administration may be related to their relative potency at arterial and venous sites. Indoramin may be less likely than prazosin to produce a first‐dose effect in normal subjects.