Does switching to a fixed combination of oxprenolol and cyclopenthiazide improve blood pressure control in patients with inadequately controlled hypertension on free combination therapy?
Switching from a free to a fixed-dose combination of a beta-blocker and diuretic improves short-term blood pressure control in patients with essential hypertension.
A total of 1,117 patients with inadequately controlled hypertension in spite of treatment with a combination of diuretic and beta-adrenergic blocker were studied. Treatment was changed to one or two tablets daily of Trasidrex (160 mg oxprenolol hydrochloride in a sustained release formulation and 0.25 mg cyclopenthiazide) with a subsequent improvement, 4 weeks later, in blood pressure control. Side-effects of treatment were uncommon and treatment was approved by the majority of patients. The majority of doctors participating thought a fixed combination would improve patient compliance with therapy.
W A Forrest (1980) studied this question.