Value of Chlorthalidone plus Reserpine in Moderately Severe and Severe Hypertension. a Two-year Study.

D ESPITE claims to the contrary,1-4 experience in this clinic over the past 6 years has found little difference in the antihypertensive, diuretic, or "potassium-sparing qualities" among the various thiazide diuretics including chlorthalidone. All these agents have also caused hyperglycemia and hyperuricemia. The only difference between chlorthalidone and the thiazide diuretics has been its long duration of action. This long duration of action has made chlorthalidone an excellent agent to combine with reserpine (a drug whose peak action is not witnessed for several weeks). Studies5' have demonstrated that the diuresis produced by 100 mg. of chlorthalidone is still in evidence 48 to 72 hours after its administration, permitting a 2 to 3 times a week schedule. Practical experience attests, however, that the patient is more likely to adhere to a treatment schedule when the medication is administered once a day. For this reason 50 mg. of chlorthalidone was combined with 0.25 mg. of reserpine, allowing