Double Blind Control Study of Antihypertensive Agents

Abstract

This report presents the results after one year of follow-up of 759 hypertensive patients who were begun on one of a number of randomized, double blind treatment regimens using various antihypertensive agents. The plan of the study and the methods of procedure have been published previously.¹ In brief, only patients whose diastolic blood pressure levels averaged 90 mm. Hg or above from the fourth through the sixth hospital days were included in the study. These patients were divided into categories of "mild, moderate, and severe" on the basis of the scores obtained in 5 panels: basal diastolic pressure, optic fundi, and abnormalities of the cardiac, renal, and central nervous systems. Treatment for patients in the mild and half of the moderately severe group consisted of 1 of 3 possible regimens as follows: (1) reserpine 0.5 mg. twice daily for 2 weeks followed by 0.25 mg. twice daily thereafter plus