Effects of sympatholytic therapy with moxonidine on serum adiponectin levels in hypertensive women.

We examined whether moxonidine influences lipid profile, insulin resistance, adiponectin levels, renal function and microalbuminuria in women with essential hypertension in a study of 55 non-diabetic hypertensive patients and 53 normotensive women. Hypertensive patients received moxonidine for 12 weeks. At baseline the hypertensive group had significantly higher mean blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, total cholesterol, fasting glucose, urinary albumin excretion and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), together with significantly lower mean high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, creatinine clearance and serum adiponectin than the normotensive group. Moxonidine significantly decreased blood pressure, fasting glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, HOMA-IR and albumin excretion, but significantly increased serum adiponectin. The change in adiponectin level was negatively correlated with the change in HOMA-IR. Moxonidine treatment may improve unfavourable metabolic status related to insulin resistance by increasing adiponectin levels in patients with essential hypertension. Since it can improve adiponectin levels, it may be used in the antihypertensive treatment of patients at high risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.