title: [Potassium metabolism during antihypertensive treatment with beta-receptor blocker and diuretic treatment].
abstract: In a controlled, prospective, cross-over study 15 patients with essential hypertension received for four weeks either a combination of beta-receptor blocker and diuretic (twice 10 mg pindolol and 5 mg clopamide daily) or of three drugs: beta-receptor blocker, diuretic and sodium-preserving diuretic (twice daily 10 mg timolol, 25 mg hydrochlorothiazide and 2.5 mg amiloride). Both drug combinations produced quantitatively comparable and definite blood pressure lowering from 162/102 mmHg to 128/82 and 130/82, or 130/84 and 127/82, respectively, after two and four weeks. A significant fall in serum potassium from 4.24 to 3.77 and 3.92 mmol/l occurred with the combined two drugs but not the combination of three. With the two-drug combination renal potassium excretion was significantly raised at one of two control points in time. Heart rate remained constant with the two-drug treatment but fell significantly on three-drug administration. There were more side effects with the two-drug preparation. Combinations of beta-receptor blockers and diuretics are thus by no means potassium neutral but can cause renal potassium loss, fall in serum potassium and hypokalaemia. For this reason combining potassium-sparing diuretic with beta-receptor blocker and diuretics is reasonable and justified.
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000584:Amiloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D003005:Clopamide / Q000494:pharmacology; D004232:Diuretics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D006852:Hydrochlorothiazide / Q000494:pharmacology; D007008:Hypokalemia / Q000139:chemically induced; D009318:Natriuresis / Q000187:drug effects; D010869:Pindolol / Q000494:pharmacology; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism*; D013999:Timolol / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D004232:Diuretics; D006852:Hydrochlorothiazide; D003005:Clopamide; D000584:Amiloride; D013999:Timolol; D010869:Pindolol; D011188:Potassium
vernacular_title: Kaliumhaushalt bei antihypertensiver Therapie mit beta-Rezeptorenblocker-Saluretika-Kombinationen.