Atenolol  was the beta‐blocker most used .
Current evidence suggests that initiating treatment of hypertension with beta‐blockers leads to modest CVD reductions and little or no effects on mortality .
These beta‐blocker effects are inferior to those of other antihypertensive drugs .
Abstract Background Beta‐blockers refer to a mixed group of drugs with diverse pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties .
They have shown long‐term beneficial effects on mortality and cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) when used in people with heart failure or acute myocardial infa rct ion .
Beta‐blockers were thought to have similar beneficial effects when used as first‐line therapy for hypertension .
However , the benefit of beta‐blockers as first‐line therapy for hypertension without compelling indications is controversial .
This review is an up date of a Cochrane Review initially published in 2007 and up date d in 2012 .
Objectives To assess the effects of beta‐blockers on morbidity and mortality endpoints in adults with hypertension .
The International Prospective Primary Prevention Study in Hypertension (IPPPSH): Objectives and methods
Summary The International Prospect i ve Primary Prevention Study in Hypertension ( IPPPSH ) , an international multicentre r and omised double-blind trial , compares antihypertensive regimens containing a beta-blocker ( oxprenolol ) with regimens not containing a beta-blocker . The protocol was developed and the study started in 1977 . 6,357 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were enrolled by the end of 1980 . Patients have been treated in 6 countries for 3 to 5 years by 288 general practitioner and hospital out-patient centres . Follow-up was finished at the end of 1983 when 25,651 years of patient treatment had been completed . At entry patients had a diastolic pressure of 100–125 mmHg with no clinical evidence of cerebrovascular or ischaemic heart disease ( W.H.O. Stages I and II hypertension ) . The study was design ed to examine three main objectives : any influence of oxprenolol on the incidence of myocardial infa rct ion and sudden death compared with antihypertensive therapy not containing a beta-blocker ; the influence of cerebrovascular accidents in the same two groups ; a comparison of the antihypertensive effectiveness , and the subjective and objective tolerability of the regimens . This paper summarises the objectives and methodology , and examines r and omisation between the two treatment groups at entry into the IPPPSH
Atenolol  was the beta‐blocker most used .
Current evidence suggests that initiating treatment of hypertension with beta‐blockers leads to modest CVD reductions and little or no effects on mortality .
These beta‐blocker effects are inferior to those of other antihypertensive drugs .
Abstract Background Beta‐blockers refer to a mixed group of drugs with diverse pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties .
They have shown long‐term beneficial effects on mortality and cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) when used in people with heart failure or acute myocardial infa rct ion .
Beta‐blockers were thought to have similar beneficial effects when used as first‐line therapy for hypertension .
However , the benefit of beta‐blockers as first‐line therapy for hypertension without compelling indications is controversial .
This review is an up date of a Cochrane Review initially published in 2007 and up date d in 2012 .
Objectives To assess the effects of beta‐blockers on morbidity and mortality endpoints in adults with hypertension .