Effect of Diazepam on 24-Hour Blood Pressure and Heart Rate in Healthy Young Volunteers

Alfredo Costa; Daniele Bosone; Annalisa Zoppi; Angela D Apos Angelo; Natascia Ghiotto; Elena Guaschino; Matteo Cotta Ramusino; Roberto Fogari

doi:10.1159/000481665

Effect of Diazepam on 24-Hour Blood Pressure and Heart Rate in Healthy Young Volunteers

Alfredo Costa, Daniele Bosone, Annalisa Zoppi, Angela D Apos Angelo, Natascia Ghiotto, Elena Guaschino, Matteo Cotta Ramusino, Roberto Fogari

Fondazione "Istituto Neurologico Casimiro Mondino"

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

AIM: To assess the effects of evening chronic administration of diazepam on 24-h blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) in healthy young adults.

METHODS: This randomized double blind, cross-over study evaluated the effects of diazepam 5 mg or placebo, both ingested in the evening, on 24-h ambulatory BP and HR in healthy subjects aged 21-30.

RESULTS: A total of 30 subjects were included in the analysis. At the end of 4-week diazepam intake, an increase in 24-h HR mean values was found (+5.2 beats/min, p < 0.05). Analysis of subperiods showed that diazepam produced a 10.1% increase in night-time HR (+6.1 beats/min, p < 0.01) without affecting BP. A significant HR rise (+4.9 beats/min, p < 0.05) and SBP reduction (-3.8 mm Hg, p < 0.05) were observed in the morning hours. The HR increase persisted in day-time hours (+4.6 beats/min, p < 0.05), while BP values resulted unaffected.

CONCLUSIONS: In healthy subjects, diazepam taken as a hypnotic agent induces a significant HR increase, possibly mediated by a decrease in vagal tone. This effect might be of clinical relevance due to the role that HR plays as an independent cardiovascular risk factor.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	86-91
Number of pages	6
Journal	Pharmacology
Volume	101
Issue number	1-2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1159/000481665
Publication status	Published - 2018

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10.1159/000481665

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@article{577f648f85f64cd3999656dcaef94452,

title = "Effect of Diazepam on 24-Hour Blood Pressure and Heart Rate in Healthy Young Volunteers",

abstract = "AIM: To assess the effects of evening chronic administration of diazepam on 24-h blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) in healthy young adults.METHODS: This randomized double blind, cross-over study evaluated the effects of diazepam 5 mg or placebo, both ingested in the evening, on 24-h ambulatory BP and HR in healthy subjects aged 21-30.RESULTS: A total of 30 subjects were included in the analysis. At the end of 4-week diazepam intake, an increase in 24-h HR mean values was found (+5.2 beats/min, p < 0.05). Analysis of subperiods showed that diazepam produced a 10.1% increase in night-time HR (+6.1 beats/min, p < 0.01) without affecting BP. A significant HR rise (+4.9 beats/min, p < 0.05) and SBP reduction (-3.8 mm Hg, p < 0.05) were observed in the morning hours. The HR increase persisted in day-time hours (+4.6 beats/min, p < 0.05), while BP values resulted unaffected.CONCLUSIONS: In healthy subjects, diazepam taken as a hypnotic agent induces a significant HR increase, possibly mediated by a decrease in vagal tone. This effect might be of clinical relevance due to the role that HR plays as an independent cardiovascular risk factor.",

author = "Alfredo Costa and Daniele Bosone and Annalisa Zoppi and {D Apos Angelo}, Angela and Natascia Ghiotto and Elena Guaschino and {Cotta Ramusino}, Matteo and Roberto Fogari",

note = "{\textcopyright} 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.",

year = "2018",

doi = "10.1159/000481665",

language = "English",

volume = "101",

pages = "86--91",

journal = "Pharmacology",

issn = "0031-7012",

publisher = "S. Karger AG",

number = "1-2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Effect of Diazepam on 24-Hour Blood Pressure and Heart Rate in Healthy Young Volunteers

AU - Costa, Alfredo

AU - Bosone, Daniele

AU - Zoppi, Annalisa

AU - D Apos Angelo, Angela

AU - Ghiotto, Natascia

AU - Guaschino, Elena

AU - Cotta Ramusino, Matteo

AU - Fogari, Roberto

PY - 2018

Y1 - 2018

N2 - AIM: To assess the effects of evening chronic administration of diazepam on 24-h blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) in healthy young adults.METHODS: This randomized double blind, cross-over study evaluated the effects of diazepam 5 mg or placebo, both ingested in the evening, on 24-h ambulatory BP and HR in healthy subjects aged 21-30.RESULTS: A total of 30 subjects were included in the analysis. At the end of 4-week diazepam intake, an increase in 24-h HR mean values was found (+5.2 beats/min, p < 0.05). Analysis of subperiods showed that diazepam produced a 10.1% increase in night-time HR (+6.1 beats/min, p < 0.01) without affecting BP. A significant HR rise (+4.9 beats/min, p < 0.05) and SBP reduction (-3.8 mm Hg, p < 0.05) were observed in the morning hours. The HR increase persisted in day-time hours (+4.6 beats/min, p < 0.05), while BP values resulted unaffected.CONCLUSIONS: In healthy subjects, diazepam taken as a hypnotic agent induces a significant HR increase, possibly mediated by a decrease in vagal tone. This effect might be of clinical relevance due to the role that HR plays as an independent cardiovascular risk factor.

AB - AIM: To assess the effects of evening chronic administration of diazepam on 24-h blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) in healthy young adults.METHODS: This randomized double blind, cross-over study evaluated the effects of diazepam 5 mg or placebo, both ingested in the evening, on 24-h ambulatory BP and HR in healthy subjects aged 21-30.RESULTS: A total of 30 subjects were included in the analysis. At the end of 4-week diazepam intake, an increase in 24-h HR mean values was found (+5.2 beats/min, p < 0.05). Analysis of subperiods showed that diazepam produced a 10.1% increase in night-time HR (+6.1 beats/min, p < 0.01) without affecting BP. A significant HR rise (+4.9 beats/min, p < 0.05) and SBP reduction (-3.8 mm Hg, p < 0.05) were observed in the morning hours. The HR increase persisted in day-time hours (+4.6 beats/min, p < 0.05), while BP values resulted unaffected.CONCLUSIONS: In healthy subjects, diazepam taken as a hypnotic agent induces a significant HR increase, possibly mediated by a decrease in vagal tone. This effect might be of clinical relevance due to the role that HR plays as an independent cardiovascular risk factor.

U2 - 10.1159/000481665

DO - 10.1159/000481665

M3 - Article

C2 - 29131129

SN - 0031-7012

VL - 101

SP - 86

EP - 91

JO - Pharmacology

JF - Pharmacology

IS - 1-2

ER -

Effect of Diazepam on 24-Hour Blood Pressure and Heart Rate in Healthy Young Volunteers

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