Serum lipoprotein levels during chlorthalidone therapy. A Veterans Administration-National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute cooperative study on antihypertensive therapy: mild hypertension
A. I. Goldman, B. W. Steele, H. W. Schnaper, A. E. Fitz, E. D. Frohlich and H. M. Perry Jr
In a joint Veterans Administration-National Heart, Lung, and Blood
Institute study of mild hypertension, 1,012 men and women, 21 to 50 years
of age and with diastolic pressure from 85 to 105 mm Hg, were randomized
into two double-blind treatment groups. Subjects in the active group
received chlorthalidone or chlorthalidone plus reserpine, while the other
subjects received matching placebo tablets. After one year of treatment,
the chlorthalidone group had increases of 10.0 +/- 1.8 (SE) mg/dL in total
cholesterol level, 9.8 +/- 5.2 mg/dL in triglyceride level, and 12.6 +/-
3.4 mg/dL in low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol level above the changes in
the placebo group. There was no difference in high-density lipoprotein
changes between the two groups (0.1 +/- 0.8 mg/dL). The possible net effect
on risk of increasing lipid values while lowering pressure in the long-term
treatment of mild hypertension with thiazides or related diuretics must be
further evaluated.
