Pleiotropic effects of moxonidine

Abstract

Background. Imidazoline receptor agonist moxonidine besides its antihypertensive effect, can increase insulin sensitivity, reduce leptin level, improve lipid metabolism. However, the efficacy, tolerability and pleiotropic effects of moxonidine in postmenopausal women with essential hypertension (EH) and metabolic syndrome (MS) are not well established, and it was the objective of this study. Design and methods. 30 postmenopausal women with EH and MS (52,5 ± 0,4 years old) were included. Moxonidine was administered (400-600 mkg/day) for 12 weeks. Waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), WC/HC ratio, body mass index (BMI), insulin, leptin level, glucose, lipid profile of blood serum, index of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and index of functional activity of pancreatic beta cells (HOMA-FB), echocardiography, intima-media thickness (IMT) of common carotid arteries (CCA). Results. Moxonidine therapy was associated with blood pressure (BP) decrease, body weight and BMI decrease, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and HOMA-FB index increase. Left atrium diameter and volume decreased, left ventricular diastolic function improved. Conclusions. Moxonidine is an effective antihypertensive drug for the treatment of postmenopausal hypertensive women with MS, which improves a range of metabolic, hemodynamic parameters and leads to the decrease of left atrium volume and diameter.