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 .
Step 2 regimens in hypertension. An assessment.
A single-blind clinical trial compared step 2 combination therapy consisting of 50 or 100 mg of hydroflumethiazide plus either 0.125 to 0.250 mg of reserpine , 500 to 2,000 mg of methyldopa , or 80 to 320 mg of propranolol hydrochloride , in 59 patients whose elevated blood pressure ( BP ) failed to respond adequately to the thiazide alone . After nine weeks of treatment , diastolic BP was reduced below 90 mm Hg in all 20 patients treated with the  reserpine-hydroflumethiazide combination , in 13 of the 19 patients treated with methyldopa and hydroflumethiazide , and in 16 of the 20 patients treated with propranolol and hydroflumethiazide .  Changes in laboratory values were not substantial ; adverse reactions occurred only in the methyldopa group . Although the three treatment regimens were similar with respect to safety and efficacy , the reserpine-hydroflumethiazide combination offers the advantages of more convenient dosage at lower cost
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 .