Nitrendipine treatment in so-called therapy-resistant arterial hypertension; effect as monotherapy and in combination with propranolol on blood pressure, heart rate, other hemodynamic parameters, plasma renin activity, and catecholamines.

Twenty-three patients [mean age 49.7 +/- 5.6 years (WHO II-III)] with severe hypertension and not responding to previous drug treatment were included in the study to evaluate the effect of nitrendipine (NTP) as monotherapy and also in combination with propranolol (PRO). After a control period of 10 days, NTP was started with 20 mg twice a day and titrated to the maximal dosage of 2 X 40 mg/day. After 1 week of NTP treatment, PRO was added in increasing dosage to a maximal 2 X 100 mg/day. NTP lowered systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) significantly (supine BP from 182/119 +/- 19/9 to 157/98 +/- 16/9 mm Hg). After combination with PRO, systolic BP was decreased additionally (supine BP from 157/98 +/- 16/9 to 150/97 +/- 19/9 mm Hg). Plasma norepinephrine (NE) was increased by NTP (from 1.82 +/- 0.78 to 2.38 +/- 1.08 nmol/l, p less than 0.01) and remained elevated during PRO treatment (2.76 +/- 1.10 nmol/l). Plasma renin activity (PRA) showed no significant changes by NTP. Additional effect of PRO on BP correlated significantly with NE and PRA after the NTP period. Plasma epinephrine and dopamine beta-hydroxylase remained unchanged. NTP decreased systemic resistance, calculated from isotope dilution technique (p less than 0.05); after combination with PRO no additional significant changes were registered. Nitrendipine is an effective alternative in so-called therapy-resistant hypertension.