Summary
Forty-three patients with essential hypertension were randomly allocated to one of the following treatment regimes; — atenolol, atenolol and hydralazine or methyl dopa. Blood pressure fell into the normal range at 3 months and was similar in all 3 groups. Blood pressure remained controlled over the period of study. M-mode echocardiography was assessed initially, at 3, 6 and 12 months. All groups showed a fall in the measured indices towards the normal range with a significant reduction in left ventricular wall thickness at 3 months in the methyl dopa group and left ventricular mass in the atenolol group alone of 6 months. In conclusion, no one treatment regime appeared to have sustained advantages over another and none of the groups showed any deterioration on echocardiographic criteria during the study.
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Russell, G.I., Pohl, J.E.F., Baldwin, J. et al. Treatment of essential hypertension: Changes in blood pressure echocardiography and electrocardiography on three therapeutic regimes. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 28, 119–124 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00609677
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00609677