Hemodynamic and clinical tachyphylaxis to prazosin-mediated afterload reduction in severe chronic congestive heart failure

Sequential doses of 5 mg of oral prazosin hydrochloride were administered to eight patients with severe chronic congestive heart failure refractory to conventional therapy. Initial doses of the drug produced marked increases in cardiac index (+0.87 l/min/m²) associated with substantial decreases in left ventricular filling pressure (-10.7 mm Hg), total systemic vascular resistance (2118 to 1154 dyn-sec-cm^-5), and heart rate (89 to 76 beats/min). However, serial administration of the same dose at 12-24 hour intervals was accompanied by the rapid development of tachyphylaxis, such that the magnitude of hemodynamic effects with second dose was less than 50% of the magnitude of effects seen with first doses (p<0.01), and third doses produced no overall significant hemodynamic responses. Diuresis with furosemide failed to restore the circulatory effects of prazosin, and the use of 10-mg doses improved cardiovascular performance to only a small extent. Only two of eight patients had sustained hemodynamic responses large enough to justify chronic oral ambulatory therapy. Administration of oral hydralazine caused hemodynamic improvement superior to even high-dose prazosin therapy (p<0.02).