Effectiveness of Prazosin on the Urinary Sodium Excretion Response to Mental Stress
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2019-04-16
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a serious problem in the African-American (AA)
population which affects nearly 7 of every 10 AAs in our area. Previously the investigators
showed that a significant number of AAs held onto or retained salt during mental stress
(sodium retainers). The investigators believe that the increased salt load and resulting
blood pressure load contributes to the eventual development of hypertension in these
individuals. The purpose of this study is to find out if this response is due to the direct
stimulation of the kidney (the organ that controls salt levels in the body, by the brain). To
do this, the investigators will determine if a drug that stops the connection between the
brain and the kidney during mental stress will prevent sodium retention in sodium retainers.
Prazosin is an alpha adrenergic receptor blocker that has been approved by the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA). None of the subjects who participate in this study have high blood
pressure. The subjects will not know which testing week is the drug week and which is the
placebo week.