Efficacy of conventional and sustained-release verapamil in stable angina pectoris.

The efficacy of sustained-release (s.r.) verapamil and conventional verapamil were compared in a double blind, crossover study in 20 patients (age 53 +/- SD6 years) who had stable effort angina and had used betablockers and long acting nitrates for at least two weeks. All patients received s.r. verapamil 200 mg b.i.d. and conventional verapamil 120 mg t.i.d. in a randomised order for two weeks. A symptom limited bicycle exercise test was performed at the end of the patients' previous medication period with betablocker plus long acting nitrate and at the end of both verapamil treatments in the morning before drug administration and three hours thereafter. All the patients improved subjectively during both verapamil regimens according to NYHA classification and they had fewer anginal attacks. The time to onset of ST-segment depression during exercise remained shorter during beta-blockade and long acting nitrates than during both verapamil regimens (P less than 0.05). During the peak action three hours after drug administration conventional verapamil was most effective at comparable workloads (P less than 0.05), whereas the exercise time was slightly prolonged with s.r. verapamil before drug administration.

Carvedilol and atenolol once daily in the treatment of hypertension.

Fifty milligrams of carvedilol and 100 mg atenolol were administered in a random order once a day for 2 months to 43 patients with mild to moderate hypertension, in a double-blind crossover study. Blood pressure, heart rate and peripheral blood flow parameters (n = 11) were recorded 2 and 24 h after the drug administration. Supine blood pressure was the same 2 h after both carvedilol and atenolol administration, but carvedilol caused a greater decrease in standing systolic blood pressure 2 h after the administration (P less than 0.05). The heart rate decreased less with carvedilol (P less than 0.01). There was no difference in the effects exerted by the two therapies on systolic blood pressure and the heart rate 24 h after drug administration, but the diastolic blood pressure was higher in patients given carvedilol (92 versus 88 mmHg; P less than 0.05). Forearm blood flow, forearm vascular resistance and calf blood flow did not change significantly with either of the therapies. In conclusion, 50 mg carvedilol once a day is an effective antihypertensive therapy, though its duration of action did not reach that of 100 mg atenolol once a day. Peripheral vasodilation was similar with both therapies.