a rise in serum alkaline phosphatase, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase levels, and increased Bromsulphalein retention. Elevation of the serum bilirubin may occur. In its most benign form the condition is usually symptomless, but complaints, such as anorexia, abdominal pain, or pruritus, and signs, such as fever or hepatomegaly, may occur. Histologic changes similar to those of viral hepatitis ...

To the Editor: Alpha-methyldopa was introduced as an antihypertensive drug in 1960. Side effects of its administration have included dry mouth, fever, gastrointestinal upset, positive results on antinuclear antibody (ANA) tests and lupus erythematosus cell preparations, granulocytopenia and thrombocytopenia, positive direct Coombs’ test results, hemolytic anemia, and serious hepatic injury ( I ...

BACKGROUND Antihypertensive drugs are believed to lower blood pressure in pre-eclampsia by direct or central vasodilatory mechanisms. However, they could also act by decreasing production of anti-angiogenic proteins involved in the pathophysiology of hypertension and proteinuria in pre-eclampsia (PE). The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of antihypertensive therapy with alpha methyld...

The possible involvement of 0-endorphin in the antihypertensive action of clonidine and a-methyldopa, drugs acting on central a2-adrenergic receptors, has been examined in rats with spontaneous, steroid-salt, or one-kidney, one-clip renal hypertension. In all three groups of rats, the hypotensive effect of a single intraperitoneal injection of 100 mg/kg of a-methyldopa was partially reversed by...

Clonidine (Catapres, Catapresan), guanfacine (Estulic), and methyldopa (Aldomet) are the prototypes of centrally acting antihypertensive drugs. Clonidine and guanfacine are lipophilic drugs that readily penetrate into the brain, where they stimulate alpha-adrenergic receptors in the pontomedullary region. The stimulation of these central alpha-adrenergic receptors has been shown to activate an ...

The blood lipids of eight patients with previously untreated essential hypertension have been studied before and after treatment with methyldopa and bendrofluazide. No significant change was found in any of the measurements over a mean treatment period of 5.25 months. These results are believed to provide evidence that hypotensive therapy does not predispose to the development of ischaemic hear...