The efficacy and safety of arotinolol combined with a different calcium channel blocker in the treatment of Chinese patients with essential hypertension: a one-year follow-up study.

BACKGROUND

Combined treatment of a calcium antagonist and α/β-adrenoreceptor blocker is expected to offer some advantages in the management of hypertension; however, their antihypertensive efficacy and safety remain relatively under-explored.

METHODS

The current study addresses the 24-h antihypertensive efficacy and safety of arotinolol combined with a different calcium channel blocker. One-hundred fifty-two patients were randomly divided into three groups: nifedipine, amlodipine and felodipine group. In each group, the antihypertensive treatment dose was 30 mg/d, 5 mg/d, 5 mg/d long acting nifedipine, amlodipine, felodipine plus 20 mg/d arotinolol, respectively. Blood pressure was measured in ABPM devices and mercury manometer.

RESULTS

The result showed that the effective rate of one year antihypertensive treatment of arotinolol combined with nifedipine was 51 of 53, significantly effective (p < 0.05) among three combinations. It also showed that there was no statistical significant difference (p > 0.05) in controlled rate of morning peak blood pressure between treatment of arotinolol combined with amlodipine and arotinolol combined with nifedipine, but there was a significant difference (p < 0.01) in controlled rate of morning peak blood pressure between arotinolol combined with nifedipine vs. felodipine and arotinolol combined with amlodipine vs. felodipine.

CONCLUSIONS

The therapy approached of arotinolol combined with nifedipine or amlodipine could be effective and well-tolerated, and they can be used as the better chosen antihypertensive drug.