The influence of monotherapy with oxprenolol and nitrendipine on ambulatory blood pressure in hypertensives.

We investigated whether beta-blockers or calcium-antagonists might be preferred in baseline antihypertensive therapy. In middle-aged male patients with essential BP readings did not differ between patients on Oxprenolol or on Nitrendipine (average BP: 123 +/- 12/81 +/- 14 vs. 129 +/- 17/80 +/- 10 mmHg), when clinical casual BP was within the normotensive range. Average BP at work was lower than clinical casual BP taken at the same day (125 +/- 14/80 +/- 12 vs. 133 +/- 12/87 +/-13 mmHg). A linear dependency between SBP at work and level of self reported physical activity (F(3,413) = 7.6; p less than or equal to 0.001) and arousal was found (F(3,374) = 5.2; p less than or equal to 0.02). Patients on Oxprenolol consistently had lower SBP at a particular level of physical activity and at lower levels of arousal than patients on Nitrendipine. We conclude that both regimen were equally effective as baseline antihypertensive monotherapy.