A study to investigate the comparative efficacy and tolerability of nisoldipine coat-core and atenolol in the treatment of mild to moderate hypertension.

The efficacy and tolerability of nisoldipine coat-core (nisoldipine CC 10, 20, 40 mg) and atenolol (50, 100 mg) were compared in 230 patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension. Treatment was titrated at two-weekly intervals as necessary to control blood pressure. After eight weeks of active therapy, the two treatments proved to be equally effective in reducing sitting diastolic blood pressure (13.7 +/- 8.3 mmHg and 14.2 +/- 9.1 mmHg for nisoldipine CC and atenolol, respectively), and provided equivalent reduction in systolic blood pressure and identical response rates (69%). Heart rate was reduced from baseline in the atenolol group but remained unchanged in the nisoldipine CC group (p < 0.001 difference between the two groups). Both nisoldipine CC and atenolol were well tolerated and had no detectable metabolic effects. Adverse events were minor and of the type commonly associated with drugs of these classes.