A Large Hypertension Trial, Focused on CAD Patients

No significant differences in outcome were found between a treatment regimen that included a calcium-channel antagonist and one that included a β-blocker.

None of the large hypertension trials to date have been focused exclusively on patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). In this multicenter, open-label, randomized trial, researchers compared a calcium-channel-antagonist-based regimen with a β-blocker-based regimen in 22,576 patients with both CAD and hypertension.

Patients received either sustained-release verapamil (a calcium-channel antagonist) or atenolol (a β-blocker). If needed, the angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor trandolapril and hydrochlorothiazide were added (in that order) in the verapamil group, and hydrochlorothiazide and trandolapril were added (in that order) in the atenolol group. However, trandolapril was added immediately for patients in both groups who had diabe…

Reviewing Author

Allan S. Brett, MD