Atenolol + Nifedipine May be An Alternative to Atenolol + Diuretics In some hypertensive patients

In a multicentre double-blind study, 98 patients with hypertension (sitting diastolic BP ~ 1 OOmm Hg after 1 month of treatment with atenolol 1 OOmg once daily) randomly received a nifedipine 20mg retard tablet bid (n = 47) or hydrochlorothiazide 50mg + amiloride 5mg once daily (51) in addition to atenolol, for 8 weeks

Standing BP fell by 18/13mm Hg after atenolol + nifedipine and by 28/12mm Hg after atenolol + diuretics. Supine systolic BP was reduced more by atenolol + diuretics than by atenolol + nifedipine (p < 0.05). HR was unaltered by both regimens. Seven of 15 patients on atenolol + nifedipine and 10/21 on atenolol + diuretics who experienced adverse side effects withdrew from the study.

Thus, 'for some hypertensive patients, such as those with associated ischaemic heart disease .. . ' this regimen may be a suitable alternattve to atenolol/diuretic. Edwards KG. Tweed JA. Saul PA. Wnght FW Pharmatherapeut1ca 4 637-641 No 10. 1986

0156-2703/87/0307-0015/0$01.00/0 © ADIS Press /NPHARMA~ 7 Mar 1987 15