Due to significant heterogeneity across trials , a significant effect in diastolic blood pressure ( DBP ) , mean arterial pressure ( MAP ) , and heart rate ( HR ) could not be found .
The SBP effects were achieved with 0.5 mg/day or greater .
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 and /or diastolic blood pressure > /=90 mmHg ) .
R and omised controlled trials have been carried out to investigate the evidence for these agents .
There is , for example , strong RCT evidence that thiazides reduce mortality and morbidity .
Reserpine has been used as a second-line therapy in some of those trials .
However , the dose-related blood pressure reduction with this agent is not known .
OBJECTIVES To investigate the dose-related effect of reserpine on blood pressure , heart rate and withdrawals due to adverse events .
Diltiazem for treatment of essential hypertension: a double-blind controlled study with reserpine.
In a double-blind , parallel , 12-week trial , antihypertensive effects of diltiazem and reserpine were compared in 107 patients with essential hypertension .  Diltiazem reduced blood pressure from 176/100 mmHg to 154/86 mmHg after 12 weeks , and reserpine reduced blood pressure from 171/96 mmHg to 155/85 mmHg . The difference between diltiazem and reserpine was not statistically significant . However , among a subset of patients given 180 mg/day of diltiazem , a significantly better antihypertensive effect was achieved than among a subset given 0.3 mg of reserpine . The incidence of side effects and complications in the diltiazem group was about one half that in the reserpine group ( 12.3 % and 27.1 % , respectively ) . Side effects of diltiazem were mild , and the drug was extremely well tolerated . These results show that diltiazem is an effective antihypertensive drug for the treatment of mild to moderate essential hypertension
Due to significant heterogeneity across trials , a significant effect in diastolic blood pressure ( DBP ) , mean arterial pressure ( MAP ) , and heart rate ( HR ) could not be found .
The SBP effects were achieved with 0.5 mg/day or greater .
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 and /or diastolic blood pressure > /=90 mmHg ) .
R and omised controlled trials have been carried out to investigate the evidence for these agents .
There is , for example , strong RCT evidence that thiazides reduce mortality and morbidity .
Reserpine has been used as a second-line therapy in some of those trials .
However , the dose-related blood pressure reduction with this agent is not known .
OBJECTIVES To investigate the dose-related effect of reserpine on blood pressure , heart rate and withdrawals due to adverse events .