The antihypertensive and beta-blocking effect of 100 mg atenolol and 100 mg metoprolol each given once daily were compared using an observer-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover study. Blood pressure and heart rate were measured 22 hours after the last tablet of a 2-week dosing period. Twenty-five patients completed the study. Both drugs caused a significant decrease in supine and standing blood pressure, with atenolol effecting, numerically, the greater reductions. The decrease in standing diastolic blood pressure was significantly greater with atenolol than with metoprolol (p less than 0.05). Metoprolol at 22 hours post-dosing did not differ from placebo in the control of exercise systolic blood pressure (191.1 v 194.6 mmHg): the exercise systolic blood pressure achieved on atenolol (177.3 mmHg) was significantly lower than that achieved on both placebo (p less than 0.001) or metoprolol (p less than 0.05). The heart rates achieved on atenolol were significantly lower than those achieved on metoprolol in similar circumstances (p less than 0.001). It is concluded that, at the doses examined in this study, atenolol is the more suitable agent for the control of supine, standing and exercise blood pressure over 22 hours.
SummaryThe antihypertensive effect of bendrofluazide 5 mg, long‐acting propranolol 160 mg, and the combination of these doses of bendrofluazide and long‐acting propranolol (Inderex)** was assessed in a double‐blind, cross‐over study in 25 patients with essential hypertension. Each treatment was given for four weeks and measurements were made 24 hours after the last dose. All three treatments produced a significant reduction of systolic and diastolic blood pressure. However, the combination product produced a greater reduction in systolic blood pressure than with the single treatments and helped counteract diuretic‐induced hypokalaemia. The combination of bendrofluazide and long‐acting propranolol in a single capsule (Inderex) proved an effective and well tolerated treatment for hypertension that may help improve patients' compliance with treatment.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.