M e t h o d s Data sources: Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group’s Trials Register (March 2006); Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (2005, issue 3); and MEDLINE, LILACS, and EMBASE/Excerpta Medica (to November 2005). Study selection and assessment: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated any antihypertensive drug (compared with placebo or no antihypertensive drug [cont...

Whether certain classes of antihypertensive drugs confer benefits beyond those associated with lowering blood pressure remains a highly controversial issue. Data from several meta-analyses have been used to support the notion that most, if not all, of the cardiovascular benefits reported with the use of different classes of antihypertensive drugs are simply a consequence of the extent to which ...

Drug discovery and development is a high-risk enterprise that requires significant investments in capital, time and scientific expertise. The studies of xenobiotic metabolism remain as one of the main topics in the research and development of drugs, cosmetics and nutritional supplements. Antihypertensive drugs are used for the treatment of high blood pressure, which is one the most frequent sym...

Varol and Ozaydin raise an important question about the effects of antihypertensive drugs and statins on arterial stiffness. In fact, antihypertensive drugs reduce large arterial stiffness, partly independently of blood pressure reduction, suggesting specific pharmacological effects on arterial remodeling. Furthermore, statins and other cholesterol-reducing agents have been shown to have benefi...

Antihypertensive drugs with pharmacological action due to sympatholytic activity have been second only to diuretics in their use and efficacy in normalizing blood pressure. Their pharmacological actions have resulted in the notable absence of chemical toxicity, but because of symptomatic side effects, their use has been limited relative to some of the newer antihypertensive agents. Most promine...

Vasodilating antihypertensive drugs have in common the capacity to activate the peripheral sympathetic nervous system through the carotid sinus baroreceptor reflex mechanism, thereby increasing heart rate, renin release, and sodium and water retention. They differ in their tendencies to augment cardiac output and to relieve or precipitate cardiac failure and arrhythmias. Vasodilating antihypert...

BACKGROUND Compliance problems are common causes of the inadequate treatment of hypertension, with 16% to 50% of patients quitting treatment within 1 year. Dose-related adverse drug events (ADEs) frequently cause compliance problems, and many ADEs occur with the initial doses of antihypertensive drugs. Thus, it is an established tenet to initiate antihypertensive therapy at low doses to avoid A...

BACKGROUND Initiating antihypertensive drugs in the elderly has been associated with an immediate increased risk of falls. However, it is unknown whether initiation of antihypertensive drugs (eg, thiazide diuretics, angiotensin II converting-enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers, calcium channel blockers, or β-adrenergic blockers) is associated with an immediate increased risk of ...

BACKGROUND Drugs with antihypertensive action are frequently used in obstetrics for the treatment of preeclampsia (labetalol) and tocolysis (nifedipine) or for neuroprotection (MgSO4), and may affect the hemodynamics of preterm born neonates. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to assess whether maternal antihypertensive drugs affect multisite oxygenation levels of the neonate. METHODS Eigh...