COMPARATIVE EFFECTS OF ATENOLOL VERSUS CELIPROLOL ON SERUM-LIPIDS ANDBLOOD-PRESSURE IN HYPERLIPIDEMIC AND HYPERTENSIVE SUBJECTS

Antihypertensive drugs may affect serum lipoprotein levels in mixed po pulations but data in hyperlipidemic patients are scanty. Atenolol ver sus celiprolol effects on serum lipoproteins were compared in 159 hype rlipoproteinemic hypertensive patients. This was a randomized, double- blind, parallel-group, positive-controlled multicenter trial with cent ralized lipoprotein laboratory and diet constancy monitoring. Blood pr essure reduction and serum lipoprotein and apoprotein levels were moni tored for 3 months. Both drugs reduced systolic and diastolic blood pr essures. Atenolol had greater effects than celiprolol on diastolic pre ssure, but effects on systolic blood pressure were not different. Pati ents receiving atenolol had lower serum high-density lipoprotein chole sterol levels and higher low-density lipoprotein/high-density lipoprot ein cholesterol ratios, whereas patients treated with celiprolol showe d no contrasting changes. These differences in lipoprotein levels betw een drug treatment groups were statistically significant at weeks 9 an d 12. The difference between drug treatments was also significant if t he values of the 9- and 12-week visits were averaged. Patients taking atenolol had statistically significantly higher serum levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides and apoprotein B at 9 weeks. These divergen t directional changes were consistent throughout and statistically sig nificantly different between drugs.