Comparison of antihypertensive activity of beta-blocking drugs during chronic treatment

Abstract

The hypotensive activity of five beta-adrenoceptor antagonists with different ancillary pharmacological properties was compared in a randomised double-blind factorial trial in 25 untreated patients with stable, uncomplicated, essential hypertension. In doses that produced similar reductions in exercise tachycardia all drugs had similar blood-pressure lowering activity, greater on systolic than diastolic pressure and greatest during exercise. With the exception of vasodilator activity the possession of any particular combination of ancillary pharmacological properties did not significantly influence the specific antihypertensive activity of these compounds. © 1976, British Medical Journal Publishing Group. All rights reserved.