Review: calcium antagonists and diuretics; a useful combination in the management of hypertension?

The use of the combination of a calcium antagonist with a thiazide diuretic for the treatment of hypertension has been the subject of much debate over a number of years. Early studies, with few subjects, demonstrated little benefit, but more recent research using larger numbers of subjects has shown quite clear additional antihypertensive effects of this combination. Combination therapy has an important role in the treatment of patients who do not respond to monotherapy, and the combination of a calcium antagonist and thiazide diuretic may be useful in the successful treatment of these patients.