Comparison of a vasodilating beta-blocker and a cardioselective beta-blocker in long-term treatment of hypertension: a European multicentre study.
The therapeutic effectiveness and safety of indenolol, a vasodilating beta-blocker with beta 2-agonism, was compared with that of atenolol, a cardioselective beta-blocker, in a 1-year double-blind trial. A total of 143 hypertensive patients (diastolic blood pressure 95-115 mmHg after 1 month of placebo) were randomly allocated to either atenolol, 50 mg/day, or indenolol, 60 mg/day. If the target diastolic blood pressure (less than or equal to 90 mmHg) was not reached after 1 month, the beta-blocker was doubled. If the target was still not reached, a diuretic was added after 2 months and doubled after 4 months. There was a higher overall responsiveness and monotherapy was more effective in the atenolol group, but at the lower dose indenolol was more effective than atenolol; however, no differences between drugs were significant. Although the drop-out rate was higher with indenolol, withdrawals due to side effects were similar in both groups. Indenolol was as effective and safe as atenolol in long-term antihypertensive therapy.
Ambrosioni
E
E
University of Bologna, Italy.
Birkenhäger
W
W
De Leeuw
P W
PW
Dal Palù
C
C
Demanet
J C
JC
Groothold
G
G
Libretti
A
A
Mailland
F
F
Malacco
E
E
Poli
A
A
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001262:Atenolol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007192:Indenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D011412:Propanolamines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D007192:Indenes; D011412:Propanolamines; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D001262:Atenolol; C002989:indenolol