A dose of reserpine 0.5 mg/day or greater achieved the SBP effects .
AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS Reserpine is effective in reducing SBP roughly to the same degree as other first-line antihypertensive drugs .
BACKGROUND Many antihypertensive agents exist today for the treatment of primary hypertension ( systolic blood pressure ≥ 140 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90 mmHg , or both ) .
R and omised controlled trials ( RCTs ) have been carried out to investigate the evidence for these agents .
There is , for example , strong RCT evidence that thiazides reduce mortality and morbidity .
Some of those trials used reserpine as a second-line therapy .
However , the dose-related blood pressure reduction with this agent is not known .
OBJECTIVES The primary objective of this review was to quantify the dose-related efficacy of reserpine versus placebo or no treatment in reducing systolic blood pressure ( SBP ) or diastolic blood pressure ( DBP ) , or both .
We also aim ed to evaluate the dose-related effects of reserpine  on mean arterial blood pressure ( MAP ) and heart rate ( HR ) , as well as the dose-related effects on withdrawals due to adverse events .
Combination of a thiazide, a vasodilator and reserpine compared with methyldopa plus hydrochlorothiazide in the treatment of hypertension in Zimbabwe.
Brinerdin ( S and oz ) , a combination of a diuretic ( clopamide 5 mg ) , a vasodilator ( dihydro-ergocristine 0.5 mg ) and reserpine ( 0.1 mg ) ( CDR ) was compared with methyldopa ( MD ) plus hydrochlorothiazide ( HCT ) for antihypertensive effect , adverse reactions , compliance and patient preference in an open cross-over trial . Eighteen patients completed both arms of the trial and 5 patients who completed the CDR arm were withdrawn while on the MD arm because of adverse effects in 4 and poor control in 1 . On HCT 50 mg daily the mean baseline systolic blood pressure was 163.9 + /- 16.3 mmHg and the diastolic blood pressure was 105.9 + /- 6.7 mmHg . On CDR these were reduced to systolic blood pressure 140.3 + /- 15.1 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure 87.8 + /- 9.3 mmHg . On MD + HCT the systolic blood pressure was reduced to 138.5 + /- 16.9 mmHg and the diastolic blood pressure to 88.9 + /- 10.3 mmHg . The differences between the two treatment periods in systolic blood pressure ( 1.8 mmHg ; 95 % confidence interval ( CI ) - 4.1 + 7.7 mmHg ) and diastolic blood pressure ( 1.1 mmHg ; 95 % CI - 4.6 + 2.4 mmHg ) were not significant with P values of 0.6 and 0.7 respectively . Compliance was 98.2 % for CDR and 94.7 % for MD + HCT ( P = 0.02 ) . Unusual sleepiness occurred more frequently in the MD arm ( P less than 0.01 ) . Thirteen patients chose to continue on CDR , 2 on MD + HCT and 3 had no preference ( P = 0.005 ) . CDR is similar in antihypertensive effect to MD + HCT but is better tolerated with fewer withdrawals , fewer adverse effects , better compliance and has more patients electing to continue taking it
A dose of reserpine 0.5 mg/day or greater achieved the SBP effects .
AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS Reserpine is effective in reducing SBP roughly to the same degree as other first-line antihypertensive drugs .
BACKGROUND Many antihypertensive agents exist today for the treatment of primary hypertension ( systolic blood pressure ≥ 140 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90 mmHg , or both ) .
R and omised controlled trials ( RCTs ) have been carried out to investigate the evidence for these agents .
There is , for example , strong RCT evidence that thiazides reduce mortality and morbidity .
Some of those trials used reserpine as a second-line therapy .
However , the dose-related blood pressure reduction with this agent is not known .
OBJECTIVES The primary objective of this review was to quantify the dose-related efficacy of reserpine versus placebo or no treatment in reducing systolic blood pressure ( SBP ) or diastolic blood pressure ( DBP ) , or both .
We also aim ed to evaluate the dose-related effects of reserpine  on mean arterial blood pressure ( MAP ) and heart rate ( HR ) , as well as the dose-related effects on withdrawals due to adverse events .