Efficacy of atenolol and oxprenolol in the treatment of arterial hypertension. A comparison.

Twenty-seven patients with mild to moderate arterial hypertension were treated "double-blind" with either atenolol of oxprenolol. Placebo was given for four weeks before the beta-blocking drugs were administered. Atenolol was given in doses of either 50 mg twice a day, 100 mg twice a day or 100 mg once a day for periods of four weeks. Oxprenolol was given in doses of either 80 mg or 160 mg twice a day for the same duration. Patients were assessed at the end of each four-week period. The mean blood pressure and pulse rate did not vary significantly for the two different dose regimens at which each drug was administered. There was no statistical difference between the reduction of systolic blood pressure produced by the two drugs, but there was a significant difference in the reduction in diastolic blood pressure in favour of atenolol (P less than 0.05 supine; P less than 0.01 erect). A single, 100-mg daily dose of atenolol was just as effective as 50 mg or 100 mg twice a day. Similarly, an 80 mg twice a day dose of oxprenolol was just as effective as that of 160 mg twice a day. Side effects for each drug were not statistically different from those recorded with placebo.