Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1963-05-28
Accidental NH Discovery Gives
New Drug to apprehension Victims

drug firm gave the Heart InSti-
tute scientists supplies of alpha
methyl DOPA and elaborated
on careful studies to determine
whether or not the drug could
be used safely on humans. 1t
was determined through animal
tests that the compound was
non-toxic. 1t was also believed
it had no value as an agent for
lowering blood pressure since
all animal testing had indicated
the drug did not function as a
apprehension agent.
The next step was a big one
and Heart Institute scientists
took it. In short, they began
the first cautious testing of the
drug on some malignancy pa
tents. Even though animal tests
had shown the uselessness Of
alpha-methyl DOPA in lowering
blood pressure, none-the-less the
scientists MATED biochemical
studies on several apprehension
patients.
Hope that the drug could be
used in malignancy cases didn't
wor.s out. 1t YVES learned that
the tissues are SO well equip
ped with decarbOxygiase en-
zymes that even a potent inhibi-
tor failed to halt or slow down
their catecllOl anime production.
But the studies on the hyper
tension patients! This was some.
thing else. While alpha-methyl
DOPA had had no effect on the
blood pressures of animals, it
had definite effect on the blood
pressure of man.
A bonanza? A boon with no
disasterous side effects? Maybe!
Only time, tests and studies
would tell the story. The way of
science with a new drug, of
necessity, must be long,
cautious, and very sure. The
end product is human life.
After the first big step of
testing alpha.methyl DOPA on
patients, Heart Institute scien-
lists studied effects of the drug
on more than a hundred hyper
tension sufferers for periods
lasting from several weeks to
two years. At the same time,
Heart Institute grantees and
other Investigators went to work
on similar clinical studies.
Here's what they found, and
here's why alpha-methyl DOPA
became the new drug "Aldomet"
Merck and brings hope of
longer lives and more normal
living to those suffering from
high blood pressure:
Aldomet effectively controls
blood pressure in apprehension
of about two thirds of patients
treated, regardless of the de-
grees of severity of the cases.
In patients in whom the drug
is effective, blood pressure can
be lowered in both supine of
standing positions. 1t produces
only mild sedative and tran
QUILTING effects in early treat
ment but these usually subside
and rarely impair or interfere
with normal day to day
activities.
Sexual impotence In males
caused by the use of some
earlier drugs is not much of a
problem with Aldomet, but has
been noted infrequently in pa
TENTS receiving very high doses
of the drug. Neither does Aldo
met bring on the bowel distur.
Dances frequently found in the
use of other hypotensive agents.
Sudden and unexpected falls in
blood pressure do not occur with
it's use.
While Aldomet seems to be
relatively free from ill effects,
a few adverse reactions were OBJ.
served during the Heart Insti.
tute's studies. Several of more
than a hundred patients tested
suffered mental depression or
overly persistent sedative eff
fects. There was laboratory evil
dence Of abnormal liver func-
ton in only seven. In four of the
seven, this was accompanied by
malaise and fever. There were,
however, no clinical evidences