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A Comparative Study Between 100mg Atenolol and 20mg Pindolol Slow-Release in Essential Hypertension

  • Section 1A: Hypertension
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Summary

After a wash-out period of 2 weeks in pretreated cases, 103 patients were randomly allocated to either atenolol, 1 × 100mg per day or pindolol, 1 × 20mg slow-release (SR) per day. ‘Responders’ (diastolic blood pressure ⩽ 95mm Hg) continued with the prescribed β-blocker, while the remainder (diastolic blood pressure > 95mm Hg and/or intolerable side effects) switched over to the other β-blocking agent and were re-classified 2 weeks later. Patients unresponsive to atenolol and pindolol were given propranolol, 1 × 160mg SR per day.

After 2 weeks 61% (31 of 51) responded to atenolol and 38% (20 of 52 cases) to pindolol. On changing drugs, 2 patients became responders to pindolol and 14 of 32 pindolol non-responders showed good blood pressure control on atenolol.

The frequency of side effects [fatigue, sleep disturbances (p < 0.01), dreams, Raynaud’s phenomenon, muscle cramps, sexual disturbances] was higher in patients treated with pindolol than in those with atenolol.

Our results demonstrate that 100mg atenolol produces a more pronounced diastolic pressure reduction than 20mg pindolol SR and a significant percentage of patients responded to atenolol after being unresponsive to pindolol.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland

    P. Greminger,  H. Vetter, H. J. Boerlin, J. Havelka, P. Baumgart, P. Walger, T. Lüscher, W. Siegenthaler & W. Vetter

  2. Medizinische Universitätspoliklinik, Münster, Switzerland

    P. Greminger, H. J. Boerlin, J. Havelka, P. Baumgart, P. Walger, T. Lüscher, W. Siegenthaler & W. Vetter

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  1. P. Greminger
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  2. H. Vetter
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  3. H. J. Boerlin
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  4. J. Havelka
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  5. P. Baumgart
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  6. P. Walger
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  7. T. Lüscher
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  8. W. Siegenthaler
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  9. W. Vetter
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Greminger, P., Vetter, H., Boerlin, H.J. et al. A Comparative Study Between 100mg Atenolol and 20mg Pindolol Slow-Release in Essential Hypertension. Drugs 25 (Suppl 2), 37–41 (1983). https://doi.org/10.2165/00003495-198300252-00008

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2165/00003495-198300252-00008

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