[Arterial hypertension and hemorheology: the effects of triamterene and hydrochlorothiazide].

Ten patients with arterial hypertension and chronic heart failure (stages NYHA I and II) were treated in a pilot study with a combination of 50 mg triamteren and 25 mg of hydrochlorothiazide for 20 days under clinical conditions. The purpose of this investigation was to determine hemorheological alterations in comparison with initial data after treatment with a common diuretic combination. The influence of the therapy on hematocrit, number of leucocytes and thrombocytes as well as fibrinogen-mediated hemorheological parameters was not significant. Statistically significant (p = 0.0215) was the improvement of erythrocyte-fluidity, which indicates a positive influence of the diuretic combination on the erythrocyte membrane. Furthermore a very effective, statistically significant (p less than 0.05) decrease of blood pressure appeared, even down to a normal standard. Discussions on negative effects of diuretic therapy on hemoconcentration hitherto reported in literature are not attempted by this investigation.