[Graded physical loading in assessing the efficacy of hypotensive pharmacotherapy]

Standardized graded exercise was used to examine 76 patients suffering from stage I and II essential hypertension, in whom the treatment with hypothiazid, hemiton, adelphanesidrex, propranolol and metoprolol resulted in arterial pressure normalization at rest. Hypothiazid did not protect the patients from the development of pathological (excessive) hypertensive response to graded exercise. Hemiton and adelphanesidrex allowed the attainment of normal (physiological) hypertensive response but in a small part of patients. The treatment with beta-adrenoblockers alone and combined with hypothiazid provided physiological hypertensive response to graded exercise in the absolute majority of the patients.