Effect of prazosin on lipoprotein metabolism in premenopausal, hypertensive women.

Eight premenopausal women with a diastolic blood pressure above 100 mm Hg were treated with prazosin (average dose, 4 mg/day) for 1 year. After 1 month and after 1 year of treatment, serum cholesterol and triglycerides did not differ significantly from pre- and post-treatment values. Nor were any statistically significant alterations found in cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations in the very low density, low density, and high density lipoproteins. The fractional catabolic rate of exogenous triglycerides and the lipoprotein lipase activity in adipose tissue and in skeletal muscle tissue were not affected by the treatment. The data support the view that prazosin therapy does not adversely affect lipoprotein metabolism in premenopausal, healthy, normolipidemic women.