Comparative efficacy of main groups of antihypertensive drugs in patients with hypertension

Efficacy of 11 drugs (calcium antagonists, ACE inhibitors, beta- and alpha- blockers) was studied in 315 patients with mild and moderate hypertension. Calcium antagonists and cardioselective beta-blockers had highest hypotensi ve activity. ACE inhibitors were most effective in moderate while alpha-blo ckers - in mild hypertension. Influence of such factors as sex, age, severi ty and duration of hypertension on antihypertensive effect of various drugs was analyzed by multifactorial regression analysis. Effect of calcium anta gonists was age-dependent, that of ACE inhibitors was affected by severity of hypertension and effect of alpha- and beta-blockers was influenced by se x and age. Duration of hypertension was important for effect of beta- block ers. Dose-effect relation was linear for ACE inhibitors and alpha-blockers, non-linear - for calcium antagonists and beta-blockers. Effective doses of antihypertensive drugs for monotherapy of hypertension were also determine d.