Comparison of nifedipine and propranolol as second line agent for hypertension in black Kenyans.

Nifedipine is reported to be particularly effective as an antihypertensive agent in low renin hypertension.' Because of the predominance of low renin hypertension among black Kenyan patients we compared the efficacy of propranolol plus diuretic, a standard treat- ment in Africa,2 with nifedipine plus diuretic in Kenyan patients whose blood pressure was not control- led by diuretic treatment.