Combining other antihypertensive drugs with β-blockers in hypertension: a focus on safety and tolerability.

Combining multiple classes of antihypertensive drugs together is one of the most important factors for achieving blood pressure control in most hypertensive patients. The benefits of combination therapy in comparison with monotherapy include: a synergistic enhancement of each drug's hypertensive effects and a potential reduction of side effects if each drug is used at a lower dose. Although long-acting dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers and β-blockers are a good fit for combination therapy, because of the risk of atrioventricular block and bradycardia, the combination of verapamil and β-blockers is not advised. In addition, the combination of higher-dose diltiazem and β-blockers is also not advised. β-blockers and diuretic agents as initial lone combination therapy are not the preferred combination to be used in uncomplicated hypertension. Using an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor as initial combination therapy with most β-blockers is not recommended because of a lack of antihypertensive efficacy. Nebivolol, however, appears different in this regard and might provide an opportunity for combining these 2 classes of agents with proven cardiovascular benefits for better blood pressure control. Adding an α-blocker to a β-blocker is an effective combination.