A double-blind comparison of indoramin and pindolol added to hydrochlorothiazide for the treatment of mild to moderate hypertension.

Sixty patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension, uncontrolled with diuretics alone, were evaluated in a double-blind randomized study that compared the effect of indoramin plus hydrochlorothiazide with that of pindolol plus hydrochlorothiazide. Following a 2-week period during which the patients were treated with 50 mg/day of hydrochlorothiazide, the patients were treated either with indoramin, 50-100 mg/day (n = 29), or with pindolol 10-20 mg/day (n = 30), in addition to the diuretic for 12 weeks. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significantly reduced after 2 weeks of treatment with indoramin or pindolol; blood pressure reduction was maintained for the 12 weeks of treatment. There were no significant differences between the indoramin and pindolol groups with respect to the changes in blood pressure. Blood pressure was controlled (less than or equal to 90 mm Hg) in 70% of the indoramin-treated patients and in 80% of the pindolol-treated patients. The difference was not significant. Heart rate was reduced after pindolol but not after indoramin. Side effects occurred in 20 patients (67%) treated with indoramin and in 14 patients (47%) treated with pindolol; the difference between the groups was not significant. Eight patients in the indoramin group and 10 patients in the pindolol group withdrew before completion of the study. In the indoramin group, four patients withdrew because of side effects and four because of lack of efficacy. In the pindolol group, five patients withdrew because of side effects and three because of lack of efficacy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)