Effect of combination therapy with arotinolol and sustained-release nifedipine in patients with essential hypertension resistant to monotherapy

Abstract

Two major classes of antihypertensive drugs enjoy widespread clinical use: calcium antagonists and beta-adrenoceptor blockers. Although both classes have proven efficacy, some patients with hypertension are refractory to treatment with either class alone. To evaluate the efficacy of combined therapy, 30 patients with refractory hypertension who had been treated with either arotinolol (10 mg BID) or sustained-release nifedipine (nifedipine SR; 20 mg BID) alone were given these two drugs in combination. Significant antihypertensive responses to combination therapy were observed in both groups, with a reduction in blood pressure of ⩾14% in the group initially treated with arotinolol and ⩾22% in the group initially treated with nifedipine SR. Adverse effects were noted in four patients after addition of nifedipine SR to arotinolol, but all symptoms resolved after discontinuation of nifedipine SR. This study shows that a combination of arotinolol and nifedipine SR is effective in controlling blood pressure in patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension who are resistant to monotherapy with either drug alone.