[Diuretics and antihypertensive agents in chronic kidney insufficiency: comparison of the effects of metolazone and furosemide].

Increasing dosages of two potent diuretic agents (5, 10, 20 mg metolazone or 40, 80, 160 mg furosemide) were compared in 35 patients with hypertension and chronic renal failure. In cases with insufficient blood pressure control, 10 mg pindolol was given as a second drug. Finally, patients not responding to a betablocker-diuretic combination received 100 mg hydralazine as a third drug. Both diuretics had comparable antihypertensive potency during a treatment period of up to 12 weeks. Maximal antihypertensive response was observed under 10 mg metolazone or 160 mg furosemide. However, only in 25% of our patients blood pressure was normalized with diuretic monotherapy (metolazone or furosemide). The remaining cases needed either an additional betablocker or a combination of three different antihypertensive agents. Under these conditions a substantial proportion of our patients (20%) did not reach the therapeutic goal (diastolic blood pressure less than 95 mm Hg). These results document the difficulties of hypertension management in chronic renal failure. An early change to the stepped-care approach should be made in all cases with insufficient blood pressure response to potent diuretics.