A Comparison of 100 mg Atenolol and 100 mg Metoprolol Once a Day at Rest and during Exercise in Hypertensives

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Abstract
The effects of one daily dosage of the 2 cardioselective .beta.-adrenoceptor blocking agents, atenolol and metoprolol, were studied in 26 patients with primary hypertension in a randomized double-blind cross-over trial with placebo run-in and wash-out. Assessment of effect was performed about 1 and 25 h after dosing. At rest, both atenolol and metoprolol lowered the blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) compared to placebo. Atenolol induced a more effective BP reduction than metoprolol, especially 25 h after drug intake. During exericise 1 h after dosing both drugs reduced BP and HR to a similar extent, whereas 25 h after dosing atenolol gave a more efficient BP and HR reduction than metoprolol. Both 100 mg atenolol and 100 mg metoprolol are effective antihypertensive .beta.-blockers at rest and during exercise, 1 h after intake. Metoprolol was less effective than atenolol 25 h after dosing probably due to its shorter plasma half-life, thus implying a twice daily regimen for metoprolol in standard preparation.