Complaints of cold extremities among patients on antihypertensive treatment

A total of 758 consecutive patients attending three hypertension clinics answered a questionnaire designed to assess the prevalence and severity of complaints of cold extremities among patients on various antihypertensive drugs. Forty-four per cent claimed to have had complaints of cold extremities and about 50% of these had had symptoms already prior to antihypertensive treatment. Among the newly symptomatic patients the prevalence of symptoms was 18% of those on diuretics and 40% of those on beta-blockers (p less than 0.01). No significant association was found between the prevalence of symptoms and age, sex, use of vibrating tools, smoking or history of various conditions associated with atherosclerosis. No significant difference was found in the prevalence of symptoms among patients on propranolol, alprenolol, pindolol, atenolol and metoprolol. It is concluded that cold hands and feet are common among hypertensive patients and may be aggravated by treatment with not only beta-blockers but also diuretics.