Effects of chronic administration of the fixed combination slow-release oxprenolol-chlorthalidone on left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertensive patients. Echocardiographic study.

To evaluate the effects of the chronic administration of the fixed combination slow-release, oxprenolol 160 mg and chlorthalidone 20 mg on left ventricular hypertrophy, ten hypertensive out-patients, with left ventricular hypertrophy documented by left ventricular mass index (LVMI) greater than 130 g/m2, were studied. After a two-week placebo period, patients were given the study medication, once daily for six months. Blood pressure and heart rate were measured, 24 h after-dosing, at the end of placebo and thereafter every month. A m-mode echocardiographic examination was performed at the end of the placebo period, after 1 month of active treatment and at the end of the study. In comparison with placebo, the study medication induced a significant reduction (p less than 0.01) of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, 24 h after dosing, after 1 month of treatment (from 181.0 +/- 18.5/108.5 +/- 12.0 to 146.5 +/- 10.8/94.0 +/- 7.7 mmHg), and this reduction was maintained until the end of the study (142.0 +/- 14.0/90.0 +/- 8.2 mmHg). At the 6th month and in comparison with placebo, a significant (p less than 0.01) reduction of left ventricular mass (LVM) and of LVMI was observed (LVM: from 295.9 +/- 113.8 to 221.5 +/- 66.1 g; LVMI: from 158.1 +/- 39.0 to 126.2 +/- 35.8 g/m2. In conclusion, our results confirm the good antihypertensive efficacy of the fixed combination slow-release oxprenolol and chlorthalidone and show that the study medication is able to induce a regression of left ventricular hypertrophy, in hypertensive patients.