1 The stepped care approach for the treatment of hypertension was adopted in a study at Ain Shams Hospital using hydrochlorothiazide (HCT) and a new P-blocker, nadolol. Sixty mild to moderately hypertensive patients-were studied for 20 weeks (2 weeks no antihypertensive therapy, 3 weeks placebo, 3 weeks HCT, 4 weeks nadolol + HCT dose titration and 8 weeks nadolol + HCT maintenance). The dose of HCT was 50 mg once daily throughout the study except for six patients who had their HCT dose increased to 100 mg daily during maintenance. The dose of nadolol ranged from 40-240 mg daily. 2 No patient on HCT monotherapy achieved full control of his supine diastolic blood pressure (SDBP <90 mmHg). On combined therapy, 55 patients (91.7%) showed a full response, whereas the remaining five patients a good or adequate response. 3 Thirty-two of these patients agreed to continue in the study for a further 21 months (totalling 2 yr of therapy). To date, 15 of them have completed a total of 10 months, 7 have completed 11 months and 10 have completed 12 months. The delta percentage decrease in supine BP continued to be 28.0 and 19.5 for systolic and diastolic BPs, respectively. 4 No significant changes in funduscopies, chest X-rays, ECGs, or full laboratory investigations were noted. A few side-effects of mild nature occurred. None necessitated discontinuation of therapy. 5 Combined therapy with nadolol and HCT is a safe and effective method of controlling hypertension over extended periods.

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1 Captopril, an orally active angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, was compared with hydrochlorothiazide (HCT) in the treatment of mild and moderate essential hypertension. 2 Twenty outpatients received no antihypertensive therapy for 2 weeks, after which they were given placebo for 8 weeks. Since their diastolic blood pressure remained above 100 mm Hg, they were then randomized to receive either captopril (twelve patients) or HCT (eight patients) for a 4-week titration period. If the supine diastolic blood pressure (SDBP) was normalized, ( c90 mm Hg) by the end ofthe titration period, the established regimen was continued for an 8-week maintenance period; if not, the alternate drug was added in increasing doses for up to 4 weeks and the combined therapy was maintained for the remaining 4 weeks. 3 After the first 4 weeks of therapy, both groups showed a statistically significant decrease in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Normalization of SDBP occurred in 75% ofpatients treated with captopril alone, and the addition of HCT produced normalization in the remainder. HCT alone resulted in normalization of SDBP in 50% of patients and the blood pressure of the remaining patients was normalized after the addition of captopril. 4 Captopril given orally, either alone or in conjunction with HCT, is an effective agent for the control of mild and moderate essential hypertension. 5 In our series the main side effects encountered were vertigo and dizziness, transient eosinophilia, a rise of BUN and or/a rise of SGPT or SGOT.

After 3 weeks of placebo administration, thirty-two mildly or moderately hypertensive patients were treated with hydrochlorothiazide (HCZ) for 3 weeks, then with HCZ plus nadolol, a new beta-adrenergic blocker, for 2 years. The dose of HCZ was 50 mg once daily for all except two patients, who received 50 mg twice a day. The dose of nadolol ranged from 40 mg to 240 mg, once daily. The average supine blood pressure decreased from 182/110 mm Hg at the end of the placebo period to 170/104 mm Hg at the end of treatment with HCZ alone. Nadolol was added to the regimen, and the average supine blood pressure decreased further to 132/88 mm Hg at the end of 3 months of combined therapy. It remained essentially unchanged for the duration of the 2-year study, and no increases in the dosage of either drug were needed. Side-effects were mild, and none required a change in dosage. A once-daily dose of nadolol combined with HCZ appears to be safe and effective therapy for the long-term treatment of mild or moderate essential hypertension.