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 .
Chlorthalidone does not increase the hypotensive effect of nifedipine in essential hypertensives: a crossover multicentre study.
To determine whether the combination of nifedipine + chlorthalidone exerts an additive antihypertensive effect when compared with single-drug treatment , we studied 66 uncomplicated essential hypertensives , with diastolic blood pressure of greater than 100 and less than 115 mmHg . At the end of a 1-month washout placebo period , using a double-blind crossover design , the patients were r and omly allocated to nifedipine ( 20 mg twice a day ) , chlorthalidone ( 25 mg once a day ) , the two drugs combined at the same doses and the corresponding placebo . Compared with the r and omly allocated placebo , the three active treatments significantly reduced blood pressure without changing the heart rate or body weight . Both the absolute and percentage decreases in mean blood pressure induced by nifedipine and the combination compared with placebo were similar and significantly greater than those induced by chlorthalidone . Taken together , these data show that the combination of nifedipine + chlorthalidone does not exert any additive antihypertensive effect compared with nifedipine alone . This finding indicates that the combination of a dihydropyridine calcium antagonist + a thiazide diuretic is probably devoid of any particular clinical significance in the treatment of uncomplicated essential hypertensives
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 .