[Fludrocortisone in the treatment of orthostatic hypotension: ophthalmodynamography during standing(author's transl)].

The effect of fludrocortisone (Astonin -H) in the management of orthostatic hypotension was tested in a double-blind trial of 30 patients who were receiving 0.3 mg fludrocortisone for seven days, a control group of 30 subjects receiving placebos. Systolic and diastolic brachial and ophthalmic arterial pressures, pulse amplitude and pulse rate were measured at rest, immediately after standing up and 10 minutes later. Comparing the treatment and placebo groups, the former had a higher systolic ophthalmic blood pressure on standing, a smaller fall of pulse volume and less of a rise in heart rate on standing up, and a raised systolic brachial artery pressure even in recumbency. At the same time there was an improvement in symptoms.