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Nifedipine improves quality of life more than atenolol

Nifedipine significantly and more favourably improved quality of life, according to several quality of life scales, compared with atenolol, in men with mild to moderate essential hypertension, in a double-blind trial. Between-treatment differences were most marked in patients aged > 50 years. Significant deterioration in sexual function occurred .in atenolol recipients but not in nifedipine recipients. All the beneficial effects which were observed at 20 weeks· were not observed at 14 weeks.

After a 4-week placebo washout period, patients randomly received sustained release nifedipine 30 mg/day (gastrointestinal therapeutic system; n = 201) or atenolol 50 mg/day (193). During the first 8 weeks of active therapy, doses were titrated up to 90 mg/day for nifedipine and up to 100 mg/day for atenolol to achieve diastolic BP < 90mm Hg. Over the 20-week active therapy phase, 142 patients withdrew from the multicentre study because of lack of efficacy, adverse effects (significantly more nifedipine recipients withdrew because of adverse effects than atenolol recipients) or for other reasons. The total incidence of adverse effects in atenolol and nifedipine recipients was similar, although a greater percentage of nifedipine recipients withdrew because of peripheral oedema. BP was controlled similarly by both treatments. Testa MA, Hollenberg NK, AnderSon RB, Williams GH. Assessment of quality of life by patient and spouse during antihypertensive therapy with atenolol and nifedipine gastrointestinal therapeutic system. American Journal of Hypertension 4: 363-373, Apr 1991

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3 Aug 1991 INPHARMA® ISSN 0156-1703/91/0803-0014/0$01.00/0 e Adi$ InternationalLtd