Doxazosin: a study in a cohort of patients with hypertension in general practice--an interim report.
 The objective of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of doxazosin in a substantial cohort of hypertensive patients drawn from general practice.
 A total of 4027 patients entered the study, 1472 of whom (36.6%) were untreated hypertensive patients.
 Patients were not advised to change diet, smoking habit, or life-style during the study.
 Twenty-one percent were cigarette smokers, and concurrent diabetes was present in 2.3%.
 Baseline blood cholesterol exceeded 200 mg/dl (5.2 mmol/L) in 90% and 250 mg/dl (6.5 mmol/L) in 56% of patients.
 The mean decrease in blood pressure produced by doxazosin was 22/15 mm Hg after 10 weeks of therapy; there was a mean decrease in heart rate of 1 beat/min.
 The mean maintenance dose for all patients was 3.1 mg/day.
 Side effects considered related or possibly related to treatment were reported in 705 patients.
 Treatment was discontinued in 233 patients (5.8%) because of adverse events related or possibly related to treatment with doxazosin.
 Doxazosin produced a significant (p less than 0.001) decrease in total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride levels and a significant increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and the ratio of high-density lipoprotein:total cholesterol.
 The potential reduction in 10-year coronary heart disease risk (according to the Framingham equation) was calculated to be 20.4%.
