Initial experience with a new long-acting beta-blocker, nadolol, in hypertensive patients.

Nadolol, a new beta-blocker that is not metabolized and has a uniquely long pharmacological half-life (up to 24 hours) was employed as the sole drug therapy for thirty-one patients with mild to moderately severe essential hypertension. Twenty-two patients had a reduction over 3 months of 10% or more in supine diastolic pressure, including twelve who became normotensive. Daily dosage, administered in two divided doses, ranged up to 640 mg; however, twenty patients required 160 mg or less. Twenty-three patients continued therapy for a median additional period of 15 months, during which satisfactory control was maintained in seventeen patients. Side-effects of nadolol caused termination of therapy in only one patient.