[Effectiveness of treatment with beta-blocking agents and diuretics in fixed combination, in aged hypertensive patients].

The antihypertensive activity and tolerability of oxprenolol 80 mg plus chlorthalidone 10 mg in fixed combination were evaluated in 15 hypertensive patients aged more than 60 years (group 1) and, comparatively, in 11 hypertensive patients aged below 60 years (group 2), all with a lying B.P. value greater than 160/100 mmHg at the end of a two weeks placebo wash-out. Lying and standing systolic and diastolic B.P. decreased (P less than 0.001) (lying position: group 1, from 181.0/103.0 to 159.6/87.5 mmHg; group 2, from 173.6/105.4 to 143.3/86.1 mmHg); decrements in group 1 were minor than those in group 2. A diastolic blood pressure normalization was achieved in 12/15 patients of group 1 and in 10/11 of group 2. Side-effects were rare and of mild severity. Results obtained show that the fixed combination oxprenolol 80 mg plus chlorthalidone 10 mg can be safely administered also in the elderly hypertensive patients, without risk of cardiovascular complications, allowing satisfactory blood pressure control, with a simple dosage schedule, thus improving patient compliance to the therapy.