[Quality of life in patients treated with beta blockers].

Hypertension is the essential risk factor in the morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular complications. The basic treatment consists of drugs from four groups--diuretics, beta blockers, ACE inhibitors and calcium-channel blockers--and the choice must be individualized, especially in patients with mild hypertension. The drug and the dosage regimen depends on the individual characteristics of patient obtained from psychological, psychometric and affective examination. The conducted research shows that beta blockers are effective antihypertensive agents and that they improve the overall quality of life in sense of well being, psychological symptoms and capabilities for physical, emotional, social and intellectual functioning. Low incidence of CNS side effects in patients on atenolol may be due to its hydrophilicity.