Long-term experience with the combination of clonidine and beta-adrenoceptor blocking agents in hypertension.

The risk of cardiovascular and fatal complications and the antihypertensive effect of a clonidine-beta-blocker combination was studied in 98 patients and was compared with the results for a group of patients treated with other antihypertensive regimens. The profile of complications was similar in the two groups for a total follow-up period of more than 2000 treatment-months. Clonidine in combination either with propranolol or atenolol had a distinct antihypertensive effect. However, clonidine plus atenolol resulted in a more immediate and pronounced fall in blood pressure. It is concluded that the combination of clonidine and a beta-blocker is an effective antihypertensive medication, and that patients treated with it are apparently at no greater risk of serious cardiovascular incidents than are those treated with other regimens.