Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 1998 Jan;12(1):76-86.
doi: 10.2165/00002512-199812010-00007.

Midodrine. A review of its therapeutic use in the management of orthostatic hypotension

K J McClellan  1 , L R Wiseman, M I Wilde
Affiliations
Review

Midodrine. A review of its therapeutic use in the management of orthostatic hypotension

K J McClellan et al. Drugs Aging. 1998 Jan.

Abstract

Midodrine is a prodrug which undergoes enzymatic hydrolysis to the selective alpha 1-adrenoceptor agonist desglymidodrine after oral administration. Oral midodrine significantly increases 1-minute standing systolic blood pressure compared with placebo. The drug also improves standing time and energy level and clinical symptoms of orthostatic hypotension including dizziness, light-headedness and syncope. Comparative studies have shown midodrine to have similar efficacy to dihydroergotamine mesylate, norfenefrine, fludrocortisone and etilefrine, and to be more effective than dimetofrine and ephedrine in patients with orthostatic hypotension. Midodrine is well tolerated, with the most commonly reported adverse events being piloerection, pruritus, paraesthesias, urinary retention and chills. The risk of supine hypertension, which is associated with midodrine therapy in up to 25% of patients, can be reduced by taking the final daily dose at least 4 hours before bedtime. Thus, oral midodrine is an effective therapeutic option for the management of various forms of orthostatic hypotension. This well-tolerated agent is likely to be useful in conjunction with standard nonpharmacological care.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Am J Med. 1995 Dec;99(6):604-10 - PubMed
    1. N Engl J Med. 1989 Oct 5;321(14):952-7 - PubMed
    1. Wien Med Wochenschr. 1974 Aug 17;124(33-35):501-7 - PubMed
    1. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 1979;16(6):423-4 - PubMed
    1. Int Angiol. 1993 Jun;12(2):125-31 - PubMed

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources