Effects of antihypertensive drugs on SBP variability are dose-dependent and persist when used in combinations .
Use of a high dose of a calcium channel blocker alone or in combination with other agents is therefore likely to be particularly effective in prevention of stroke
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Recent studies have shown that visit-to-visit blood pressure variability is a powerful risk factor for stroke , is reduced by calcium channel blockers and diuretics , and increased by β-blockers .
However , it is unknown whether these effects are dose-dependent and persist in combination with other drugs .
Antihypertensive effect of doxazosin in hypertensive patients: comparison with atenolol.
The antihypertensive effect of doxazosin 1 - 16 mg once-daily was compared with that of atenolol 50 - 100 mg once-daily , and placebo , utilizing a double-blind parallel group ( 12 patients each ) design . Blood pressure ( BP ) and pulse rate were determined in out- patients who returned for clinic visits every 2 weeks for 14 weeks . During the first 4 weeks , all patients received single-blind placebo therapy . During the subsequent 10 weeks , patients were r and omized to placebo , atenolol or doxazosin treatment . After 2 weeks of doxazosin therapy 16 mg daily , there was a significant decrease from baseline ( single-blind placebo period ) in supine diastolic BP ( P less than 0.01 ) and st and ing diastolic BP ( P less than 0.001 ) . The decreases in supine and st and ing diastolic BPs in the doxazosin 16 mg daily group were significantly ( P less than 0.01 ) different from the corresponding BPs of the placebo group . At weeks 12 and 14 , heart rates in the doxazosin group were not significantly different from baseline or from those in the placebo group . After 4 and 6 weeks of atenolol 100 mg daily , there was a significant decrease from baseline in both supine ( P less than 0.001 and P less than 0.05 ) and st and ing ( P less than 0.05 ) diastolic BPs and heart rates ( P less than 0.05 ) . However , when the atenolol group was compared with the placebo group , a significant decrease occurred only with supine diastolic BP at week 12 ( P less than 0.01 ) and not at week 14 ; but significant decreases occurred in supine and st and ing heart rates at weeks 12 and 14 ( P less than 0.05 ) . ( ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS
Effects of antihypertensive drugs on SBP variability are dose-dependent and persist when used in combinations .
Use of a high dose of a calcium channel blocker alone or in combination with other agents is therefore likely to be particularly effective in prevention of stroke
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Recent studies have shown that visit-to-visit blood pressure variability is a powerful risk factor for stroke , is reduced by calcium channel blockers and diuretics , and increased by β-blockers .
However , it is unknown whether these effects are dose-dependent and persist in combination with other drugs .