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Atenolol in hypertension: is it a wise choice?

Bo Carlberg1, Ola Samuelsson, Lars Hjalmar Lindholm

  • 1Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University Hospital, SE 901 85 Umeå, Sweden.

Lancet (London, England)
|November 9, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Atenolol (a beta blocker) did not improve outcomes compared to placebo in hypertension patients. However, it showed higher mortality and stroke risk than other antihypertensives, questioning its use.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Pharmacology
  • Clinical Trials

Background:

  • Atenolol is a widely used beta blocker for hypertension.
  • Its suitability as a reference drug in clinical trials is questioned.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically review atenolol's effects on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in hypertensive patients.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
  • Searches included Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, and expert communication.
  • Included trials compared atenolol to placebo or other antihypertensives.

Main Results:

  • Compared to placebo, atenolol showed no significant differences in all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, or myocardial infarction.
  • Atenolol was associated with a trend towards lower stroke risk versus placebo.
  • Compared to other antihypertensives, atenolol demonstrated significantly higher mortality and increased stroke frequency.

Conclusions:

  • Atenolol's efficacy and safety as a treatment for hypertensive patients are questionable.
  • Its role as a reference drug in hypertension outcome trials should be reconsidered.
Abstract

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