Indapamide in hypertension: a study in general practice of new or previously poorly controlled patients

A multi-centre general practitioner study was carried out in 2497 hypertensive patients. 81% of whom were already being treated for their condition, to assess the antihypertensive activity and tolerance of indapamide (2.5 mg/day in a single dose) when given in conjunction with or as replacement for existing therapy, if any. The results showed that, over a 3-month period, indapamide produced a gradual reduction in blood pressure (mean decrease of 24/14 mmHg) and there was a direct correlation between the initial diastolic pressure and the observed reduction. Side-effects with indapamide therapy were relatively few and mild, the most frequently reported being nausea, dizziness and headache. There were no consistent changes in any of the haematological or biochemical parameters monitored. An increase was noted in subjective well-being, measured by a visual analogue scale. Analysis of the results in 772 of the patients who were aged over 65 years showed that the response to and tolerance of indapamide was similar to that in younger patients.