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| Review Article |
| Mecamylamine (InversineÒ): an old antihypertensive with new research directions |
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| R D Shytle1,2,4,5, E Penny6, A A Silver4, J Goldman4 and P R Sanberg1,2,3,4,5 |
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1Center for Aging and Brain Repair, Department of Neurosurgery, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, USA
2Center for Aging and Brain Repair, Department of Pharmacology, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, USA
3Center for Aging and Brain Repair, Department of Neurology, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, USA
4Center for Aging and Brain Repair, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, USA
5Center for Aging and Brain Repair, Neuroscience Program, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, USA
6Layton Bioscience, Tampa Division, FL, USA
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Correspondence to: D Shytle, PhD, Center for Aging and Brain Repair, Department of Neurosurgery, MDC-78, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, FL 33613, USA. E-mail: dshytle@hsc.usf.edu |
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| Abstract |
| Mecamylamine (InversineÒ), the first orally available antihypertensive agent, is now rarely used. Although celebrated in the 1950s, mecamylamine fell out of favour because of its widespread ganglionic side effects at antihypertensive doses (30-90 mg/day). However, recent studies suggest that mecamylamine is very effective at relatively low doses (2.5-5 mg b.i.d.) for blocking the physiological effects of nicotine and improving abstinence rates in smoking cessation studies, particularly for women. When these lower doses of mecamylamine are given, patients do not experience the severity of side effects that made the drug unpopular for the treatment of hypertension. Tobacco smoking is a strong risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity, including accelerated atherosclerosis and increased risk of heart attacks. Though currently untested, the available evidence suggests that low-dose mecamylamine therapy might reduce blood pressure variability and atherogenetic lipid profile in smokers. With this in mind, mecamylamine should be an important research tool in the field of hypertension research, particularly in recalcitrant smokers with mild to moderate hypertension. Journal of Human Hypertension (2002) 16, 453-457. doi:10.1038/sj.jhh.1001416 |
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| Keywords |
| mecamylamine; nicotine; smoking; InversineÒ; cardiovascular disease; nicotinic receptor |
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| July 2002, Volume 16, Number 7, Pages 453-457 |
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