Comparative study of oxdralazine and dihydralazine in essential hypertension

• Published in: International journal of clinical pharmacology, therapy, and toxicology Vol. 19; no. 8; p. 372
• Main Authors: Salvadeo, A, Villa, G, Segagni, S, Piazza, W, Criscuolo, D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany 01.08.1981
• Subjects: Adult; Antihypertensive Agents - therapeutic use; Blood Pressure - drug effects; Clinical Trials as Topic; Dihydralazine - adverse effects; Dihydralazine - therapeutic use; Ethanolamines - adverse effects; Ethanolamines - therapeutic use; Female; Humans; Hydralazine - analogs & derivatives; Hypertension - drug therapy; Male; Middle Aged; Pyridazines - adverse effects; Pyridazines - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 0174-4879

Thirty-one patients with moderate and severe essential hypertension completed a comparative study of oxdralazine and dihydralazine. Treatments were administered for a 6-month period. The therapeutic regimen also included diuretic and a beta-blocking agent given at a constant daily dose. After a 4-week run-in period on diuretic plus beta blocker, which caused a mean blood pressure reduction of 17/7 mmHg, the administration of the vasodilators produced a further, more marked decrease of pressure values. After 1-month treatment mean blood pressure reductions were 26/18 mmHg on oxdralazine and 16/11 mmHg on dihydralazine. After 6 months, 10/15 patients on oxdralazine and 7/16 patients on dihydralazine had achieved a stabile diastolic pressure below 95 mmHg. These results were confirmed by an additional phase of the study, in which 21 patients had the vasodilator cross-over and were observed for a second 6-mont period. Oxdralazine and dihydralazine therapy were well tolerated: only a few patients complained of side effects that were of mild intensity and never required any change in treatment. At the first visit after the cross-over, those patients changing from oxdralazine to dihydralazine complained of side effects with a higher frequency than the patients changing from dihydralazine to oxdralazine. In one patient from the former group it was necessary to stop dihydralazine treatment.