[Long-term side-effects of diuretics in the treatment of hypertension (author's transl)].

The clinical and biochemical side-effects of diuretics administered without potassium supplement were monitored during one year in 58 hypertensive out-patients. The only changes observed were a moderate rise in triglycerides (correlated with weight increase) and in blood glucose. Blood urea, creatinine, potassium, calcium, uric acid and cholesterol remained unchanged. The objections raised against the use of diuretics as anti-hypertensive agents, such as the need for close surveillance of biochemical values and the fear that the beneficial effects on blood pressure would be upset by an increase in other cardiovascular risk factors (some of which are still highly controversial), therefore appear to be unfounded.