Response of systolic and diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg) and heart rate (beats per minute) (mean (SEM)) to standing
| Group I: levodopa only (n=9) | Group II: selegiline and levodopa (n=16) | Group II: selegiline ceased (n=16) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supine systolic BP | 146.4 (10.0) | 137.1 (5.9) | 133.8 (3.1) |
| Standing systolic BP | 140.1 (11.3) | 114.1 (5.6)d | 121.5 (3.5) |
| % Change systolic BP | −3.9 (2.5) | −15.9 (4.3)a | −8.5 (3.3)a,e |
| Supine diastolic BP | 81.1 (4.1) | 82.8 (3.4) | 76.3 (2.2) |
| Standing diastolic BP | 82 (5.1) | 73.5 (3.5) | 76.7 (3.7) |
| % Change diastolic BP | 0.9 (3.1) | −10.2 (4.0)a | 1.5 (5.9) |
| Supine HR | 71.8 (3.3) | 75.1 (2.6) | 71.9 (2.0) |
| Standing HR | 75.3 (4.0) | 85.3 (3.9)c | 74.9 (3.0)e |
| % Change HR | 5.0 (2.6) | 13.3 (2.6)a | 4.9 (4.2) |
| 30:15 ratio | 1.07 (0.03) | 1.11 (0.03) | 1.06 (0.01) |
As absolute and percentage changes were similar, only the percentage changes are shown. Selegiline therapy was associated with mild asymptomatic systolic hypotension on standing which resolved after withdrawal of the drug. Comparison between group I and group II:aP<0.05, two tailed t test. Effects of standing within groups: cP<0.05;dP<0.01, one way ANOVA. Comparison between group II patients before and after drug withdrawal: eP<0.05, paired t test.
BP = blood pressure; HR = heart rate.