Symptoms in hypertensive patients: the effect of treatment withdrawal

We have evaluated the effect of withdrawal of antihypertensive drugs on the frequency of symptoms over a 2-week period in 11,710 hypertensive patients. Previously untreated patients complained most frequently of headache, dizziness and chest pain, whereas most other symptoms occurred more often in previously treated patients. With the exception of headache, which rose in frequency, most symptoms showed a significant reduction following therapy withdrawal. The burden of symptoms reported by treated hypertensive patients is probably the result of a combination of their disease, drug-related adverse effects and inappropriate use of drugs in certain patient groups.