Combination therapy of essential hypertension with pindolol (Visken) and hydralazine

Thirty patients suffering from essential hypertension were treated successively with placebo, hydralazine alone, and pindolol (Visken) combined with hydralazine. Hydralazine caused a statistically significant reduction in blood pressure and an increase in pulse rate as compared with the placebo: palpitations were an irritating side-effect. The combination of hydralazine and pindolol resulted in an additional fall in blood pressure (p less than 0.001) and the pulse rate decreased (2 p less than 0.001). The combined treatment also had a favourable effect on palpitations and angina pectoris.