A crossover comparison of a timolol/bendrofluazide combination and methyldopa in essential hypertension

SummaryA crossover study was carried out in 24 hypertensive patients being treated solely with methyldopa on entry to compare the effectiveness and side-effects of treatment with timolol maleate combined with bendrofluazide (4:1 dosage ratio). On entry, only 8 of the patients were controlled and receiving an optimum dose of methyldopa. A further 7 patients were controlled during a 4-week methyldopa titration period. After 4 weeks on placebo, patients were crossed over for a final 4-weeks to active treatment with timolol plus bendrofluazide, and 22 of the 24 patients were controlled on the combination therapy, 18 of them on 40 mg timolol plus 10 mg bendrofluazide or less per day. The reduction in blood pressure with the combination therapy was significantly greater than with methyldopa, and there was a lower incidence of side-effects.