Evaluation of pindolol dosage in hypertension by automatic indirect BP monitoring.

Pindolol, a nonselective beta-adrenergic blocking drug, lowered systolic and diastolic BP equally well during once-daily and twice-daily dosage. Side effects were few. Absence of supine bradycardia distinguished this drug from other beta-adrenergic blockers and likely was attributable to the agent's intrinsic sympathomimetic activity. Blood pressure variability was less during therapy. Automatic indirect BP monitoring reliably confirmed office and home BP recordings and indicated good control throughout waking and sleeping periods.

Pindolol--a new beta-adrenergic blocking agent with intrinsic sympathomimetic activity in the management of mild and moderate hypertension.

Pindolol, a well-tolerated noncardioselective beta-adrenergic blocking drug, effectively reduced blood pressure in patients with mild to moderate hypertension without causing orthostatic hypotension. In common with other beta-adrenergic blocking agents, pindolol blocked the normal increase in the standing pulse rate. The drug, however, did not decrease the supine pulse rate, a feature that can be interpreted as evidence of the postulated intrinsic sympathomimetic activity of pindolol.

Evaluation of the Del Mar Avionics automatic ambulatory blood pressure-recording device.

We have the opportunity to evaluate a portable ambulatory device for the recording of sequential indirect arterial blood pressure and continuous electrocardiogram (Del Mar Avionics automatic ambulatory blood pressure recording device). With careful attention to technique, only 11% of systolic and 5% of diastolic blood pressure readings differed by more than 10 mm Hg as compared with a trained technician's observations simultaneously in the same arm. The device has been useful in the evaluation of borderline (labile) hypertension, hypertensive drug therapy programs, and various episodic cardiovascular phenomena--for example, vasodepressor syncope and pheochromocytoma crises.