Behavioural parameters in hypertensives on atenolol therapy

Behavioural responses which included psychological tests and cold pressor test as a stress test were studied in 20 mild to moderate hypertensives of both sexes, excluding smokers, alcoholics, secondary hypertensives and patients of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases. Subjects were put on 2 weeks of placebo washout period followed by 6 weeks of treatment with atenolol. Following treatment with atenolol they showed no significant alteration in the scores of psychological tests which included Weschler adult intelligence scale for orientation, while showing significant depression in the rise of heart rate, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure following cold pressor test. On further analysis, the results showed that hypertensives on placebo had lower scores of memory and attention test as compared to normotensive controls. Besides this, hypertensives on placebo had higher rise of heart rate and systolic blood pressure as compared to normotensive controls after cold pressor test.