Effectiveness of Prazosin on the Urinary Sodium Excretion Response to Mental Stress

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2019-04-16
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

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.

• Phase: Phase 2
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Augusta University
• Collaborator: The University of Texas at Arlington
• Treatments: Prazosin

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• of good general health

• not on any prescription medications

• between the ages of 18 and 50 years

• not pregnant

• African-American male or female

Exclusion Criteria:

• not African-American

• pregnant

• taking medications that will affect blood pressure

• not in good general health

• younger than 18 years of age or older than 50 years of age