Clinical pharmacology of antihypertensive drugs

An ideal antihypertensive drug acts necessarily save and efficaciously, imp roves patient survival and reduces end-organ damage. For beta-blockers, diu retics and calcium channel blockers an improved survival of the hypertensiv e patients has been shown. On the other hand, short-acting calcium channel blockers as nifedipine may reduce the outcome in patients with coronary hea rt disease. Therefore, beta-blockers and diuretics may be used as first-lin e antihypertensive drugs, whereas only long-acting calcium channel blockers such as amlodipine may be used in patients with coronary heart disease. Si de effects should be considered when choosing the antihypertensive drug in patients with additional (e.g. metabolic) diseases.