Exercise capacity and hemodynamics in persons aged 20 to 50 years with systemic hypertension treated with diltiazem and atenolol.

Hemodynamic responses and exercise capacity were studied during maximal exercise in 25 young hypertensive persons (mean age 40 years) taking placebo, diltiazem (mean 216 mg/day) and atenolol (mean 80 mg/day). The study was a crossover, double-blind, randomized trial, each medication period lasting 2 months. Sitting blood pressure (BP) was 160 +/- 19/109 +/- 8 mm Hg after run-in. Both drugs decreased BP significantly, diltiazem by 10/ 11 mm Hg and atenolol by 16/14 mm Hg (difference not significant between drugs). During exercise there were no differences among patients taking placebo, diltiazem and atenolol in peak workload and rating of perceived exertion. Atenolol significantly attenuated the increase in heart rate, BP and heart rate-BP product at each workload. Diastolic BP during exercise was significantly lower (6 to 10 mm Hg) during diltiazem therapy than during placebo at each workload. Thus, both diltiazem and atenolol decrease rest BP significantly without impairing exercise capacity.

Metoprolol, nifedipine, and the combination in stable effort angina pectoris.

Treatment with metoprolol (100 mg twice daily), nifedipine (10 mg 3 times daily) and both drugs combined were compared for effect on clinical variables, bicycle ergometer exercise tolerance and adverse effects in a randomized double-blind, crossover study in patients with stable effort angina (n = 62). Nitroglycerin consumption and anginal attack rate as recorded in patient diaries indicated a higher antianginal efficacy (p less than or equal to 0.001) with metoprolol and combination therapy than with nifedipine monotherapy. All exercise test variables showed a significantly higher antianginal efficacy with combination therapy than with nifedipine monotherapy (15 to 26%). The combination therapy was also better than metoprolol in all exercise variables (9 to 14%), except for onset and duration of chest pain. Furthermore, metoprolol showed a higher efficacy than nifedipine in all exercise variables (7 to 23%) except total exercise time. More adverse symptoms of peripheral vasodilation were reported for nifedipine than for metoprolol (tachycardia, flushing, headache, p less than or equal to 0.05). It is concluded that combined treatment with metoprolol and nifedipine increased antianginal efficacy compared with the monotherapies, without increasing adverse effects. In effort angina, metoprolol in these doses was more effective and better tolerated than nifedipine.