[Assessment of the effects of antihypertensive drugs on stress-induced cardiovascular changes].
The authors reviewed some of the most relevant studies dedicated to the assessment of the effects of the antihypertensive drugs on the stress-induced cardiovascular changes. The rises in both blood pressure and heart rate turned out not to be significantly altered by calcium channel blockers, ACE inhibitors, moxonidine, nor beta-blockers, whereas they seemed to be slightly blunted by alpha-blocking drugs. However, since baseline blood pressure was significantly lower in treated hypertensives than in placebo-given patients, all antihypertensive drugs eventually resulted in a lower blood pressure level during stress, as compared with untreated patients. Regarding white coat effect, which has to be considered as a very particular stress, it appeared to be lowered to the same extent by placebo and antihypertensive drugs; moreover, its changes were not associated with any clinical beneficial effect.
Sosner
P
P
Service cardiologie, CHU-86021 Poitiers, France.
Ragot
S
S
Herpin
D
D
D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination / Q000523:psychology*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D010919:Placebos; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology
D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D010919:Placebos