Antihypertensive regimen and quality of life in a disadvantaged population.

A sample of family practice patients with essential hypertension (N = 106) who were predominantly elderly, black, and disadvantaged were studied to determine psychosocial and physiological side effects from antihypertensive therapy regimens. Patients were assigned randomly to one of four monotherapy treatment groups: Hydrochlorothiazide-triamterene, metoprolol, captopril, and methyldopa. These medications have been reported to have contrasting effects on quality of life. Measurements of quality of life, physical symptoms, and depression taken at baseline and during therapy revealed few significant changes in these indicators. Changes in mean levels of diastolic and systolic hypertension over time were clinically and statistically significant. Findings raise issues regarding medication effectiveness and cost given the disadvantaged population studied.