NEBIVOLOL VS ATENOLOL AND PLACEBO IN ESSENTIAL-HYPERTENSION - A DOUBLE-BLIND RANDOMIZED TRIAL

A double-blind, randomised, parallel-group trial was conducted in pati ents with essential hypertension in British general practices, of nebi volol 5 mg, atenolol 50 mg, and placebo each given once daily. Both ac tive drugs, in comparison with placebo, caused highly significant and similar reductions in systolic and diastolic pressures without orthost atic effect, and small significant falls in heart rate, Both active dr ugs were well tolerated, nebivolol marginally more so, Nebivolol, a lo ng-acting, cardioselective, vasodilating beta-blocker which acts partl y via the I-arginine/nitric oxide mechanism, appears potentially valua ble for the treatment of hypertension.