EFFECTS OF ALPHA, BETA-BLOCKER, AROTINOLOL CHLORIDE, ON 24-H BLOOD-PRESSURE - DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ELDERLY AND YOUNGER HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS

To assess the effect of age on the circadian blood pressure (BP) after an alpha,beta-adrenergic blocker, the ambulatory BP was measured befo re and after arotinolol chloride administration in nine younger (mean age 49.1 years) and 14 older (72.1 years) patients with essential hype rtension. After a 4-week control period, arotinolol chloride was admin istered twice daily (08:00 and 20:00 hours) for 8 weeks and the ambula tory BP was measured non-invasively at the end of the control and trea tment period. Arotinolol significantly reduced the daytime systolic BP from 152.3 to 140.9 mmHg (P < 0.05) and night-time systolic BP from 1 37.3 to 122.3 mmHg (P < 0.01) in the younger hypertensive patients. In contrast, in the older group, the night-time systolic BP did not show a significant change, although the daytime systolic BP was significan tly reduced from 155.0 to 142.2 mmHg (P < 0.02). Diastolic BP in both groups was significantly reduced by arotinolol during the day and nigh t. Night-time reduction of BP was significantly less in the older grou p (-8.6 vs - 15.1 mmHg for the systolic pressure P < 0.01; -5.8 vs -9. 8 mmHg for the diastolic pressure P < 0.01).