Rilmenidine, an oxazoline compound with antihypertensive properties, acts on both medullary and peripheral vasomotor structures.

As a result of its good clinical and biological acceptability, rilmenidine may be administered to both elderly and diabetic hypertensive patients.

In patients with kidney failure, no dosage adjustment is necessary in principle when the creatinine clearance is greater than 15 mL/min.

Side-effects are rare, non-severe, and transient at therapeutic doses: asthenia, palpitations, insomnia, drowsiness, fatigue on exercise, epigastric pain, dryness of the mouth, diarrhea, skin rash; and exceptionally, cold extremities, postural hypotension, sexual disorders, anxiety, depression, pruritus, edema, cramps, nausea, constipation, hot flushes.

The drug has been shown to mimic the lifespan-extending effects of calorie restriction in cell cultures and in the worm C.