Effects of a fixed combination of low dose nifedipine and acebutolol on essential hypertension: comparison with standard dose acebutolol.

114 patients from four clinics participated in a double blind study designed to assess the efficacy of a nifedipine-acebutolol fixed combination -10 mg + 100 mg - as compared with acebutolol -200 mg- in essential hypertension. During the ten week study the mean blood pressure readings (s.d.) 1-3 h after treatment decreased from 179.2/104.8 (10.2/6.2) to 150.3/87.7 (9.8/7.7) in the combination group and from 181.7/106.5 (14.4/7.0) to 150.4/89.0 (15.0/10.4) in the acebutolol group. The mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures were also decreased after exertion (load) and 24 hours after treatment at the end of the 6th week of the study. A doubling of the dose from week 7 to 10 did not change these figures. These results reveal the possibility of treating essential hypertension with a low dose of beta-adrenergic blocking agents in combination with 10 mg nifedipine. Both drugs were well tolerated. 3 patients (5%) in the combination group and 3 patients in the acebutolol group were withdrawn from the study because of headache and dizziness.