Effect of pindolol on changes in serum lipids induced by hydrochlorthiazide

Forty-two patients with essential hypertension, WHO I-II, and a diastolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 100 mm Hg, were initially given 25 mg hydrochlorthiazide alone. After treatment for 3 months 10 mg pindolol was also given to 16 of them as the diastolic blood pressure had not been reduced to less than or equal to 90 mm Hg. After 3 months treatment on hydrochlorthiazide alone there was a significant increase in serum cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations, and a decrease in high density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration, and this pattern persisted after a further 3 months on the single drug regimen. In contrast, in those patients who received additional treatment with pindolol after the first 3 months, there was a significant decrease in the low density lipoprotein cholesterol and an increase in high density lipoprotein cholesterol during the following 3 months. Thus, the addition of pindolol to hydrochlorthiazide therapy appeared to reverse the negative effects on the lipid profile induced by the diuretic alone.