Effects of moxonidine on sympathetic nervous system activity: An update on metabolism, cardio, and other target-organ protection

Effects of Moxonidine Administration on Serum Neuropeptide Y Levels in Hypertensive Individuals: A Prospective Observational Study

Moxonidine is a centrally acting, anti-hypertensive medication that exerts additional metabolic properties. It is unknown whether its effects are mediated by neurotransmitters or sympathetic tone regulators, including Neuropeptide Y (NPY). In this study, we evaluated the effects of moxonidine administration on serum NPY in humans. Methods: Ninety individuals with mild or moderate arterial hypertension that required monotherapy were categorized in three age and gender-matched groups according to their Body Mass Index (BMI) as normal weight (n = 30), overweight (n = 30), and obese (n = 30). Moxonidine was administered in therapeutic doses of up to 0.6 mg daily for 12 weeks, and clinical, biochemical and hormonal parameters were recorded. Results: In all three groups, a decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate was shown. After treatment, BMI, 24 h urine catecholamines and catecholamines’ metabolites, and serum total cholesterol were also reduced. Most importantly, we found a decrease in serum NPY levels in all study groups, with the largest mean decrease in the group of obese and overweight participants compared to normal weight. Conclusions: Moxonidine administration results in improvement in cardio-metabolic parameters, as well as a decrease in serum NPY levels, which therefore represents it being a potent agent against obesity-associated hypertension. Its involvement in energy balance regulation warrants further investigation.

Optimization of Pharmacotherapy Within the Framework of a Patient-oriented Approach in the Treatment of Hypertension in Multimorbidity Patients (Clinical Case and Literature Review)

Arterial hypertension (AH) remains one of the main causes of disability and death worldwide, including in Russia. At the same time, the risks of coronary and cerebrovascular events increase in the presence of additional risk factors. The most common modifiable risk factors are metabolic disorders, including pre-diabetes, dyslipidemia, peripheral arterial atherosclerosis, and obesity, which also imposes certain features on the choice of optimal pharmacotherapy. Currently, the terminology of comorbid conditions continues to be discussed depending on their pathogenesis and the presence or absence of dominance of one disease over others, i.e. polymorbidity, comorbidity and multimorbidity. At the same time, “associative polymorbidity” is distinguished with a certain set of diseases that often occur in conjunction with each other with individual susceptibility of the body. One of the most common phenotypes of polymorbidity occurring in all age groups in both sexes is cardiometabolic, which is based on the formation of insulin resistance, sympathetic overactivity and chronic inflammation. This article provides a clinical example of the use of a fixed combination of angiotensin II receptor blocker telmisartan and calcium channel blocker amlodipine with the addition of an I1-imidazoline receptor agonist moxonidine in real clinical practice in a polymorbid cardiometabolic patient with target organ damage (left ventricular hypertrophy and microalbuminuria). High antihypertensive (favorable effect on 24-hour blood pressure, especially in the early morning) and organoprotective effectiveness of this combination, its possibilities in correcting additional risk factors (reduced heart rate, body weight and a positive effect on metabolic parameters), due to a synergistic effect on the central pathogenetic mechanisms of hypertension and obesity – insulin resistance and sympathetic overactivity.

The Influence of Hypertensive Therapies on Circulating Factors: Clinical Implications for SCFAs, FGF21, TNFSF14 and TNF-α

Studying the role of circulatory factors in the pathogenesis of diseases has been key to the development of effective therapies. We sought to examine the effect of antihypertensive therapies on numerous circulatory factors including short chain fatty acids and growth factors in a human cohort. A subset of participants from an earlier study was characterized by their hypertensive and/or treatment status and separated into three groups: (i) normotensives; (ii) untreated hypertensive and (iii) treated hypertensive subjects. Circulating levels of short chain fatty acids, FGF21 and TNF superfamily members were measured as part of this study. Both F2-isoprostane and circulating lipid levels were reanalysed as part of this current study. We found that antihypertensive treatment increased butyrate levels and decreased acetate levels to levels similar to normotensives. We also found that antihypertensive treatments reduced levels of circulating FGF21, TNFSF14 and TNF-α. In conclusion, we identified several circulatory factors that are altered in hypertension.

Cardiovascular Effects Mediated by Imidazoline Drugs: An Update

OBJECTIVE

Clonidine is a centrally acting antihypertensive drug. Hypotensive effect of clonidine is mediated mainly by central α2-adrenoceptors and/or imidazoline receptors located in a complex network of the brainstem. Unfortunately, clonidine produces side effects such as sedation, mouth dry, and depression. Moxonidine and rilmenidine, compounds of the second generation of imidazoline drugs, with fewer side effects, display a higher affinity for the imidazoline receptors compared with α2-adrenoceptors. The antihypertensive action of these drugs is due to inhibition of the sympathetic outflow primarily through central I1-imidazoline receptors in the RVLM, although others anatomical sites and mechanisms/receptors are involved. Agmatine is regarded as the endogenous ligand for imidazoline receptors. This amine modulates the cardiovascular function. Indeed, when administered in the RVLM mimics the hypotension of clonidine.

RESULTS

Recent findings have shown that imidazoline drugs also exert biological response directly on the cardiovascular tissues, which can contribute to their antihypertensive response. Currently, new imidazoline receptors ligands are in development.

CONCLUSION

In the present review, we provide a brief update on the cardiovascular effects of clonidine, moxonidine, rilmenidine, and the novel imidazoline agents since representing an important therapeutic target for some cardiovascular diseases.