Alpha-Methyldopa and Hydrochlorothiazide

ALPHA-methyldopa, a drug that has been shown to inhibit the decarboxylation of aromatic-L-amino acids and to deplete tissue stores of norepinephrine, was first reported to have hypotensive effects in man by Oates et al.1 in 1960. Since that time many workers have confirmed this effect in patients with varying degrees of systemic hypertension.2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 To date, however, only one study2 has compared the hypotensive effects of alpha-methyldopa with other hypotensive agents under controlled conditions. The purpose of this paper is to report our findings comparing the hypotensive effects of this drug and hydrochlorothiazide, alone and in combination, with the use of . . .