Antihypertensive drugs and blood lipids: the Oslo study.

1 The report presents the effects on blood lipids and uric acid of six different antihypertensive drugs, used alone and of five different combinations of two antihypertensive drugs. 2 Prazosin significantly lowered serum LDL + VLDL cholesterol and total triglycerides. Atenolol lowered LDL + VLDL cholesterol to a smaller but significant extent. Both pindolol and hydrochlorothiazide (HCTH) were without effect, while oxprenolol significantly increased total triglycerides. Propranolol significantly lowered HDL cholesterol and increased total triglycerides and uric acid. 3 The combination prazosin and pindolol had a favourable effect on the lipid profile, while the combination propranolol and HCTH lowered HDL cholesterol but increased total triglycerides. Propranolol and prazosin lowered HDL cholesterol, while methyldopa and HCTH, and HCTH and amiloride were without effect on blood lipids. 4 It is suggested that the metabolic effects of antihypertensive drugs could be of special importance in long-term treatment of mild hypertension.