Once daily propranolol in the treatment of mild to moderate hypertension: a dose range finding study.

Propranolol was administered in a single dose of 80 mg, 120 mg, 160 mg, 240 mg, or 320 mg, to 23 patients with essential mild to moderate hypertension in a randomised, double-blind cross-over study. All treatments produced a significant fall in lying and standing blood pressures compared with placebo, but there was no statistically significant difference in the effects of the different doses. The percentage of patients showing a satisfactory fall in blood pressure was not different in the five treatment groups. The major anti-hypertensive effect of each dose was present by two weeks. The frequency of side-effects were similar on all the doses.