Faculty Collaboration Database

Effect of transdermal clonidine on the endocrine responses to insulin-induced hypoglycemia in essential hypertension. Clin Pharmacol Ther 1989 Apr;45(4):417-23

Date

04/01/1989

Pubmed ID

2649299

DOI

10.1038/clpt.1989.49

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0024541839 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   4 Citations

Abstract

Clonidine hydrochloride via the central nervous system lowers blood pressure, inhibits ACTH and catecholamine release, and stimulates growth hormone secretion. To evaluate the effect of this drug on the release of glucoregulatory hormones during hypoglycemia, we studied the responses to insulin-induced hypoglycemia (0.1 units/kg) in 10 patients with mild essential hypertension before and after treatment for 16 weeks with transdermal clonidine. Clonidine significantly lowered blood pressure, basal plasma norepinephrine levels, and epinephrine and renin activity but did not affect basal growth hormone concentrations. Clonidine significantly reduced the norepinephrine and epinephrine responses to hypoglycemia (norepinephrine AUC from 207 +/- 16 SE to 156 +/- 25 nmol/L/min, epinephrine from 157 +/- 28 to 99 +/- 29 nmol/L/min; both p less than 0.05) and increased the growth hormone response (AUC from 763 +/- 148 ng/min/ml to 1164 +/- 292 ng/min/ml; p less than 0.05) but did not affect the cortisol response or the magnitude or rate of glucose recovery from hypoglycemia. Thus transdermal clonidine has several effects on glucose counterregulatory hormones that do not significantly alter insulin sensitivity or impair recovery from hypoglycemia.

Author List

Guthrie GP Jr, Kotchen TA, Van Loon GR

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Administration, Cutaneous
Adult
Aldosterone
Blood Glucose
Blood Pressure
Clonidine
Diabetes Complications
Female
Growth Hormone
Humans
Hydrocortisone
Hypertension
Hypoglycemia
Insulin
Male
Middle Aged
Norepinephrine
Pancreas
Renin