Pharma-clinics. Le medicament du mois. La moxonidine (Moxon).

Moxonidine (Moxon, Solvay Pharma) is the first member of a new class of centrally-acting antihypertensive agents. The selective activation of central I1 imidazoline receptors results in an inhibition of peripheral sympathetic activity and produces arterial vasodilatation. Moxonidine is indicated in the treatment of essential arterial hypertension, at a usual daily dose of 0.4 mg (initial dose of 0.2 mg/day), in one administration per day. Its tolerance profile is better than that of other centrally-acting antihypertensive agents which stimulate alpha-2 adrenergic receptors, and similar to that of medications of other classes. As monotherapy, the antihypertensive efficacy of moxonidine is similar to that of most other antihypertensive agents. In case of insufficient response, moxonidine may be associated with other antihypertensive compounds, which leads to a better efficacy with no deterioration of its good tolerance profile.