The effect was similar to that obtained when thiazides are used as a single agent .
Thiazides when given as a second-line drug have a dose related effect to lower blood pressure that is similar to when they are added as a first-line drug .
This means that the BP lowering effect of thiazides is additive .
Loop diuretics appear to have a similar blood pressure lowering effect as thiazides at 1 times the recommended starting dose .
Because of the short duration of the trials and lack of reporting of adverse events , this review does not provide a good estimate of the incidence of adverse effects of diuretics given as a second-line drug
BACKGROUND Diuretics are widely prescribed for hypertension not only as a first-line drug but also as a second-line drug .
Therefore , it is essential to determine the effects of diuretics on blood pressure ( BP ) , heart rate and withdrawals due to adverse effects ( WDAEs ) when given as a second-line drug .
Atenolol and chlorthalidone in combination for hypertension.
1 The hypotensive effect of single daily dosing with atenolol 100 mg and chlorthalidone 25 mg given alone or in combination has been assessed in a double-blind , crossover , placebo controlled trial in fifteen hypertensive patients . 2 Average lying blood pressures were : Placebo 155.4/103.9 mm Hg , atenolol 134.6/85.8 mm Hg , chlorthalidone 139.5/90.1 mm Hg , combination 127.7/82.5 mm Hg . 3 The effect of the combination therapy in reducing lying diastolic pressure compared with placebo ( a fall of 21.4 mm Hg ) was significantly less than the 31.9 mm Hg fall predicted from the sum of the individual effects ( P = 0.01 ) . 4 Observations on blood pressure at rest and under mental , isometric and bicycle ergometer stress were made pre-dose and post-dose for a 12 h period at the end of the last treatment period . 5 Lying blood pressure declined from the zero hour ( pre-dose ) reading on all treatments to a low at 15.00 - -18.00 h and then rose again . 6 The rise in systolic blood pressure after isometric exercise and mental stress was of a similar magnitude with all four treatment regimes . 7 Atenolol , alone and in combination with chlorthalidone , reduced the blood pressure and the pulse rate increase on exercise 2 h post-dose when compared with readings 24 h post-dose . 8 Once daily dosing with a combination of atenolol and chlorthalidone produced a fall in supine blood pressure over a 24 h period but the effect on exercise induced changes was not uniform over this period
The effect was similar to that obtained when thiazides are used as a single agent .
Thiazides when given as a second-line drug have a dose related effect to lower blood pressure that is similar to when they are added as a first-line drug .
This means that the BP lowering effect of thiazides is additive .
Loop diuretics appear to have a similar blood pressure lowering effect as thiazides at 1 times the recommended starting dose .
Because of the short duration of the trials and lack of reporting of adverse events , this review does not provide a good estimate of the incidence of adverse effects of diuretics given as a second-line drug
BACKGROUND Diuretics are widely prescribed for hypertension not only as a first-line drug but also as a second-line drug .
Therefore , it is essential to determine the effects of diuretics on blood pressure ( BP ) , heart rate and withdrawals due to adverse effects ( WDAEs ) when given as a second-line drug .