[Hemodynamic effects of different antihypertensive combinations]

The haemodynamic effects of combinations of antihypertensive drugs were tested in an open trial on 15 patients with essential arterial hypertension. The following combinations were used: Piretanid/Captopril, Piretanid/Urapidil and Acebutolol/Piretanid. All three combinations significantly lowered arterial pressure at rest and on exercise. Both Piretanid/Captopril and Piretanid/Urapidil reduced the arterial pressure exclusively by reduction of the peripheral resistance, while cardiac output rose. On the other hand, Acebutolol/Piretanid reduced the blood pressure through reduction of cardiac output, less so by lowering the peripheral resistance. Mean pulmonary arterial pressure, as a measure of left-ventricular filling pressure, fell under Piretanid/Captopril and Piretanid/Urapidil, remaining high under Acebutolol/Piretanid. Thus the combinations of Piretanid/Captopril and Piretanid/Urapidil are most likely to fulfill the demands to be placed on an "ideal" antihypertensive treatment.