Discovery of the hypotensive effect of propranolol

Following the observation that pronethalol lowered the blood pressure a similar effect was demonstrated with propranolol. Over a period of years propranolol was demonstrated to produce a fall in blood pressure comparable with other potent drugs with the advantage of good control of the supine blood pressure and with the absence of postural and exercise hypotension. These observations were slow to be accepted, as besides a novel mode of action, most attempts to repeat the work failed to pay enough attention to adequate dosage.