Experience with beta-adrenoreceptor blockers in hypertension

Abstract

At the Dunedin Hypertension Clinic beta-blockers are the drugs of choice for most hypertensive patients, usually in combination with diuretics (especially in older subjects) and often with other drugs in the more severe cases. All beta-blockers have an antihypertensive effect, regardless of other characteristics (e.g. cardio-selectivity, instrinsic sympathomimetic effect, or membrane activity). d-Propranolol has no significant effect on blood pressure. Beta-blockers do not prevent stress-induced (mental arithmetic) rises in blood pressure in hypertensive subjects through the level of blood pressure reached during stress tends to be lower because the base line is lower. Twice-daily dosage of beta-blockers is usually satisfactory.