Carvedilol for systemic hypertension.

Twenty-four-hour profiles of intraarterial ambulatory blood pressure (BP) and heart rate were significantly reduced by administration of carvedilol, a new beta-blocking drug with vasodilating properties. Twelve patients were given carvedilol, 25 mg twice daily for 2 weeks; the dose was then increased to 50 mg twice daily if the target BP was not achieved. After 4 weeks of therapy, mean daytime reduction in BP was 25 +/- 3 mm Hg systolic and 19 +/- 3 mm Hg diastolic and mean reduction in heart rate was 22 +/- 3 beats/min. BP at the peak of isometric exercise and during dynamic exercise was also significantly reduced. Radionuclide measurements showed that left ventricular ejection fraction was not affected by treatment, but there was a significant reduction in systolic and diastolic volumes. The drug was well tolerated. This clinical trial suggests that carvedilol will be a useful first-line drug for treatment of essential hypertension, and its vasodilating action may have a more favorable effect on left ventricular function than conventional beta-blocking drugs.