Dose-ranging study of the new beta-adrenergic antagonist nadolol in the treatment of essential hypertension.

A preliminary, single-blind, dose-ranging study was carried out in 30 patients with essential hypertension to assess the efficacy of nadolol, a new beta-adrenoceptor blocking agent without intrinsic sympathomimetic action and with an extremely long plasma half-life. After a 2-week period on placebo, patients were treated for 14 weeks with daily doses of 40 mg nadolol (20 mg twice daily). Dosage was increased every second week up to a maximum of 560 mg daily or until the patient was stabilized at an effective normotensive dose level. The results showed that at the end of the trial period there was a significant reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure (approximately 34/21 mmHg) at an average daily dose of 110 mg nadolol. Apart from a tendency to bradycardia, explained by the drug's lack of sympathomimetic action, no other side-effects attributable to treatment were reported and no patient complained of sleep disturbance.