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Diuretics as initial treatment for essential hypertension.
Author(s) -
Finnerty FA Jr
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
british journal of clinical pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.216
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1365-2125
pISSN - 0306-5251
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1979.tb04689.x
Subject(s) - thiazide , medicine , diuretic , incidence (geometry) , blood pressure , uric acid , gout , population , pharmacology , endocrinology , physics , environmental health , optics
1 In the United States, the thiazide diuretics are considered the cornerstone of all antihypertensive regimens for four reasons: by themselves, they are capable of controlling the blood pressure in 60‐ 70% of the hypertensive population; they prevent the sodium retention produced by all other antihypertensive agents; they can be given once a day; and they are inexpensive. 2 Despite these advantages, the thiazide do cause hypokalaemia hyperuricaemia and hyperglycaemia. The incidence of hypokalaemia (K less than 3.0 mEq/l) is only 2‐4%; the incidence of hyperuricaemia (uric acid greater than 10 mg per cent is 3‐4%; and the incidence of hyperglycaemia is 1‐2%. 3 The possibility that a beta‐ blocking agent combined with a thiazide diuretic might produce better BP control, prevent thiazide‐induced abnormalities and exert a coronary prevention action with once daily administration would suggest that such a combination should be the ideal initial therapy for most patients with hypertension.