Blood lipids and antihypertensive drugs. The Oslo study

The treatment of hypertension has failed to achieve a reduction of the incidence of coronary heart disease. Recently, attention has been drawn to the effects of antihypertensive drugs on the metabolism of lipoproteins. Of the beta-blockers only pindolol was lipid neutral while propranolol, atenolol and oxprenolol lowered cholesterol and increased serum triglycerides. Hydrochlorothiazide did not influence blood lipids. Prazosin lowered serum LDL + VLDL cholesterol and total triglycerides. The combination of pindolol + prazosin lowered LDL + VLDL cholesterol and increased triglycerides. Propranolol + prazosin lowered HDL cholesterol, methyldopa + hydrochlorothiazide and hydrochlorothiazide + amiloride had no effect on blood lipids.