[Use of the hypotensive drug guanfacine in the treatment of patients with hypertension].

The hypotensive effect of guanfacin was evaluated in 39 essentially hypertensive patients aged 18 to 64 years and treated for 2 months. Their central, and peripheral hemodynamics, intracardiac kinetics and some humoral factors responsible for vascular tonicity control were also examined. The drug can be effective in patients with second- and third-stage essential hypertension, with a good hypotensive effect being obvious within 3-5 days of treatment (3 mg daily was the highest dose). In the course of treatment, general left-ventricular pump function returned to normal in 20 patients exhibiting a good hypotensive effect. Within 2 months of treatment, originally high plasma renin activity returned to normal, and the activity of angiotensin-converting enzyme declined.