title: Long-term safety and efficacy of ketanserin in essential hypertension: ketanserin versus or in combination with metoprolol.
abstract: The long-term safety and efficacy of ketanserin in the treatment of essential hypertension was assessed in monotherapy or in combination with the beta-blocker, metoprolol. In an initial double-blind phase, 40 patients were randomized and treated for 12 weeks with either ketanserin or metoprolol. When compared with baseline placebo values, both drugs were significantly effective in reducing blood pressure levels. The antihypertensive action of ketanserin was more gradual than that of metoprolol. The incidence of side-effects was lower with ketanserin: six cases of mild bradycardia were noted with the beta-blocker. Following this phase, all patients received ketanserin therapy during a 12-month period in an open study. Those patients not controlled by monotherapy [i.e. diastolic blood pressure (DBP) greater than 90 mmHg] were treated by a combination of both drugs. Twenty-two patients receiving ketanserin monotherapy were successfully controlled for all of the period of observation [mean supine systolic blood pressure (SBP)/DBP = 142/88]. Side-effects were minimal, with no significant changes observed in biochemical or haematological measurements during the year-long open phase. The results of this study document the efficacy and safety of long-term treatment of essential hypertension with ketanserin.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007650:Ketanserin; D008297:Male; D008790:Metoprolol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010880:Piperidines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D010880:Piperidines; D007650:Ketanserin; D008790:Metoprolol