[Ambulatory treatment of hypertension with the beta-blockader corgard (nadolol)].

Fifteen outpatients with stage II essential hypertension were treated with corgard, a non-cardioselective beta-blocker, for 12-15 months. Study (in 12 patients) of the shifts in the central and intracardiac hemodynamics (by EchoCG for 3-4 months) demonstrated that a 24-25% decrease in the blood pressure occurred at the expense of a significant reduction in the cardiac index (by 25.6%) and heart rate (by 29%). The stroke index did not undergo any significant changes. This was accompanied by a moderate increase of the total peripheral vascular resistance (by 7.4%, P less than 0.05). The intramyocardial tension decreased by 18%, the thickness of the interventricular septum by 7.1% (P less than 0.001), the myocardial mass dropped by 9.5% (P less than 0.001). The rate of the shortening of the circulatory fibers of the left ventricle myocardium decreased by 10% (P less than 0.01). The ejection, the degree of a change in the anteroposterior size or in the end systolic and end diastolic sizes remained unchanged. Thus, application of corgard can be regarded as fairly advantageous since this drug produces a long-acting effect. It can be administered once or twice a day, with dosage variations being insignificant. This circumstance facilitates the regimen of a long-term outpatient treatment.