Propranolol Given Twice Daily in Hypertension

Abstract. Two small series of hypertensive patients are accounted for. They were treated with propranolol orally twice daily instead of the common administration of 3–4 doses a day. In the first series of 10 patients on a 2‐dose regimen the maintenance of blood pressure control was tested by repeated BP measurements. No significant changes of BP were recorded during a 10‐hour observation period after the morning dose. Sublingual application of nitroglycerine in order to test the degree of adrenergic β‐receptor blockade did not show a significant increase of the pulse rate at the end of the observation period. The second series consisted of 39 previously untreated patients with mild to moderate hypertension. Propranolol given twice daily gave adequate BP control (<170/<100) in 32 patients, while 7 had to be given additional hydralazine. In 6 of the latter the maximum propranolol dose did not exceed 400 mg daily. The side‐effects were few and their frequency did not seem to be influenced by the 2‐dose regimen.