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 .
[Combined uni- and multicenter double-blind studies in hypertensive patients. Comparison of blood pressure measurements].
In a double-blind study to investigate the antihypertensive effect of a fixed triple combination with 0.05 mg reserpine , 2.5 mg clopamide and 0.4 mg dihydroergocristine in comparison to a fixed double combination with 0.05 mg reserpine and 2.5 mg clopamide , a patient subgroup of 34 patients followed a unicenter ( central unit , ' institute ' ) as well as a multicenter ( established physicians ) study design . The patients visited both investigation units on the day of admission to the study ( week 0 ) , after four weeks and after eight weeks of therapy ( after the morning intake of the drugs ) . The paper in h and looks at the results of this subgroup with respect to the conformity of blood pressure values in the two investigative units . The analyses confirm the already published results of the entire study : Both combinations proved to be highly effective antihypertensive drugs . The triple combination showed therapeutical advantages for systolic blood pressure after four weeks , for diastolic pressure after eight weeks of therapy at the ' institute ' as well as , although less distinct , in the medical offices . A comparison of the individual values did not show a convincing coherence of the measurements between institute and offices . All investigated possible systematic sources of error ( different methods of measurement , days or times of measurement ) could be excluded by correlation statistics as a reason for the divergences . The results show the necessity -- particularly in multicenter studies --of a careful documentation of all accompanying data ( e.g. method or time of measurement ) as well as a greatest possible st and ardization of investigation ( e.g. identical measuring apparatus and investigator .
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 .