Clonidine, sold under the brand name Catapres among others, is an a2-adrenergic agonist medication used to treat high blood pressure, ADHD, drug withdrawal, menopausal flushing, diarrhea, spasticity, and certain pain conditions.
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Clonidine lowers blood pressure by stimulating a2 receptors in the brain, which results in relaxation of many arteries.
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Clonidine was patented in 1961 and came into medical use in 1966.
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Clonidine is used to treat high blood pressure, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, drug withdrawal, menopausal flushing, diarrhea, and certain pain conditions.
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Clonidine has been used to reduce sleep disturbances in ADHD, including to help offset stimulant-associated insomnia.
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Clonidine has been suggested as a treatment for rare instances of dexmedetomidine withdrawal.
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Clonidine has some role in the treatment of spasticity, acting principally by inhibiting excessive sensory transmission below the level of injury.
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Clonidine has several off-label uses, and has been prescribed to treat psychiatric disorders including stress, sleep disorders, hyperarousal caused by post-traumatic stress disorder, borderline personality disorder, and other anxiety disorders.
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Clonidine is a mild sedative, and can be used as premedication before surgery or procedures.
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Clonidine can be used for migraine headaches and hot flashes associated with menopause.
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Clonidine has been used to treat refractory diarrhea associated with irritable bowel syndrome, fecal incontinence, diabetes, diarrhea associated with opioid withdrawal, intestinal failure, neuroendocrine tumors, and cholera.
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Clonidine has had some success in clinical trials for helping to remove or ameliorate the symptoms of hallucinogen persisting perception disorder.
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Clonidine is classed by the FDA as pregnancy category C It is classified by the TGA of Australia as pregnancy category B3, which means that it has shown some detrimental effects on fetal development in animal studies, although the relevance of this to human beings is unknown.
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Clonidine suppresses sympathetic outflow, resulting in lower blood pressure, sudden discontinuation can result in acute hypertension due to a rebound in sympathetic outflow.
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Clonidine is fairly lipid soluble with the logarithm of its partition coefficient equal to 1.
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