A controlled study of the antihypertensive effect of carteolol, a newβ-adrenergic receptor blocking drug, in combination with hydrochlorthiazide and amiloride

Summary

The antihypertensive effect of carteolol, a new β-blocking agent, added to basal diuretic treatment (hydrochlorthiazide 50 mg and amiloride 5 mg) has been assessed in a controlled trial in 17 patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension. The trial was divided into 4 stages: 1) run-in period with no antihypertensive treatment, 2) diuretic period (the diuretic being continued as basal treatment during the two following periods), 3) carteolol titration period, and 4) double-blind cross-over period comparing carteolol with placebo, which lasted 2 times 4 weeks. Although the diuretic effectively reduced the blood pressure, 17 of the 20 patients originally studied still had an elevated diastolic blood pressure (≧ 95 mmHg) after the diuretic period, thus fulfilling the inclusion criteria for the study. During the titration period carteolol 5 to 20 mg b. i. d. significantly reduced the elevated blood pressure. The blood pressure was reduced to normal in all 17 patients, although in two patients this occurred only during the double-blind period. During the double-blind period, the dose of carteolol was used which had given a satisfactory response during the titration period. The blood pressure in the 14 patients who completed the trial remained low both with carteolol and placebo during the double-blind stage, and was only slightly lower with carteolol than with placebo. This is probably due to a “carry-over” effect. Three patients discontinued the trial due to side effects (1 urticaria, 1 insomnia and 1 nausea) while on carteolol. There was no other difference between carteolol and placebo in the number or severity of side effects.