A review of 10 years of experience with indapamide as an antihypertensive agent.

Indapamide is an effective antihypertensive agent for which a dual mechanism of action has been put forward: a limited diuretic activity combined with antivasoconstrictive effects, resulting in decreased peripheral vascular resistance. Results from clinical trials show that 2.5 mg indapamide once daily effectively reduces arterial blood pressure in about two-thirds of patients with mild to moderate hypertension and that this reduction is related to the severity of the hypertension. As a rule, indapamide's blood pressure-reducing effect is rapid in onset (within 1 or 2 weeks) and by 1 month reaches 65% of its maximum, which occurs after 3 to 4 months of treatment. No tachyphylaxis has been observed during long-term treatment, nor has withdrawal syndrome at discontinuation of therapy. Indapamide has been successfully combined with beta blockers, methyldopa, and other antihypertensive agents, adding considerable effectiveness without noticeable increase in adverse reactions. In general, the drug is well tolerated and side effects are mild and rare. Possibly in relation to its limited diuretic activity at 2.5 mg daily, long-term treatment seldom elicits significant changes in electrolyte balance. In addition, indapamide does not induce deleterious effects on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. Indapamide is an effective, well-tolerated, first-line antihypertensive agent. The fact that long-term administration does not induce biochemical abnormalities that constitute cardiovascular risk factors indicates another advantage of the drug.