Comparison of the antihypertensive and arterial effects of bisoprolol and nitrendipine.

This double blind, cross-over study aimed to compare the antihypertensive and arterial effects of bisoprolol (B) and nitrendipine (N) in 14 essential hypertensive patients. After a placebo (PI) single blind period of 15 days, patients received in a randomised order B or N for a period of 8 weeks each. Casual blood pressure measurements and 24 hours BP ambulatory monitoring (every 15 min) were performed at the end of the Pl period and then at the end of the 2 active treatments. Arterial distensibility was evaluated by the carotido-femoral pulse wave velocity. mean(SD) The 24h BP monitoring showed that B and N had similar antihypertensive effects the first 4 hours after drug administration. After that B had a more pronounced effect on Systolic and Diastolic BP. These results show that at the commonly used doses the antihypertensive effect of the beta blocker bisoprolol is more pronounced than the calcium antagonist nitrendipine. However the effects on arterial distensibility are the same with the 2 drugs.