[The orthostatic hypotension in patients treated with antihypertensive drugs (author's transl)]

Occasional or recurrent episodes of orthostatic hypotension were observed in 58 out of 584 hypertensive patients treated with alpha-methyldopa, beta-blockers and clonidine alone or associated with diuretics and/or hydralazine and/or reserpine. They occurred more frequently in the elderly. In none dicardial ischaemia. In only 3 cases it caused drowsiness and in 2 transient T wave inversion. These results suggest that postural hypotension does not contraindicate the continuation of antihypertensive treatment.