[Tienilic acid in the treatment of arterial hypertension and congestive cardiac insufficiency].

Tienilic acid (TA) is a common new diuretic agent with a potent uricosuric action. In a double-blind cross-over study its antihypertensive effect was compared to that of hydrochlorothiazide (HCT). 20 patients with essential hypertension were studied: after I weeks of placebo wash-out 10 patients received TA (dose range 250-750 mg/die) and 10 HCT (dose range 50-150 mg/die), for 5 weeks. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significantly and equally reduced (p < 0.001) after the first week of treatment in both groups. While serum uric acid concentration increased after HCT, it was significantly reduced (p < 0.001) after TA treatment. Serum potassium was slightly reduced with both treatments. Serum tryglicerides, unchanged after HCT, showed a slight tendency to reduction on TA treatment. Ten patients with congestive heart failure, on full digitalis treatment, were given TA (dose range 250-1000 mg/die): in each patient a prompt diuretic effect was observed, associated to a significant reduction of body weight and to a marked improvement of the clinical signs of heart failure. Therefore, TA is an effective diuretic agent which may be conveniently used in the treatment of arterial hypertension and congestive heart failure, as it induces a diuretic effect comparable to that obtained with HCT, reducing at the same time, serum uric acid levels.