Rapid identification of patients with essential hypertension sensitive to acebutolol (a new cardioselective beta-blocker).

Acebutolol, a new cardioselective beta-blocking agent, was administered for 48 hours to 44 patients with essential hypertension at a total dosage of 2.0 g (2,000 mg). The slowing down of their pulse rate and the decrease in blood pressure were highly significant, whereas eight subjects treated with placebos had no change in either the pulse rate or blood pressure. Plasma renin activity decreased from 2.26 +/- 2.11 ng/ml/hour to 0.87 +/- 1.04 ng/ml/hour. The decrease in blood pressure was correlated with the initial plasma renin activity and with the decrease in plasma renin activity. These results demonstrate that a rapid decrease in blood pressure can be obtained in patients with essential hypertension treated with acebutolol and that the decrease in blood pressure is related to the initial state of the renin-angiotensin system.