Changes in lipid and lipoprotein values during a cross-over treatment of doxazosin, moduretic and amlodipine in hypertensive patients.

A cross-over study, comparing the effects of doxazosin, moduretic and amlodipine on plasma lipid and lipoprotein levels in 9 hypertensive Nigerians aged 35 to 65 years is presented. Doxazosin therapy had favourable lipid changes characterized by a statistically significant reduction in total cholesterol (TC) at 6 months. Though consistent reduction was observed in total triglycerides (TG) low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), very low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (VLDLC) upto 6 months, no effect was seen on high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC). This is against unfavourable increments in the mean values of TC, VLDLC, LDLC/HDLC and decrease in HDLC/TC during moduretic treatment phase. Amlodipine therapy did not alter the lipid and lipoprotein levels. The non-significant variation in the mean high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDLC) level observed with these agents, seem to suggest that HDL-cholesterol metabolism may be maintained during antihypertensive pharmacotherapy.