A Combination of Methyclothiazide and Deserpidine in the Treatment of Essential Hypertension

¹ Resident in Medicine Touro Infirmary, and Instructor in Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine
² Chairman, Department of Medicine, Touro Infirmary, and Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine

1. The combination of methyclothiazide and deserpidine was used on 55 patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension for an average of five and one-half months at Touro Infirmary, New Orleans, Louisiana.

2. Eighty-six per cent of the patients on whom this combination was used showed a significant lowering of the control blood pressure.

3. Ninety per cent of the patients showed improvement in their initial symptoms associated with the hypertension, headache being the most common symptom.

4. Two and one half mg. of methyclothiazide with 0.5 mg. of deserpidine combined as one tablet given in the morning was the most effective therapeutic dose.

5. Only seven patients, 17 per cent of the group, demonstrated lower than normal serum potassium levels, and elevated serum uric acid levels were observed in only five patients. However, no clinical evidence of hypokalemia or gout were apparent.

6. No other toxic or side effects usually associated with thiazide diuretic therapy or with the rauwolfia alkaloids were noted.

7. The therapeutic effectiveness of this methyclothiazide-deserpidine preparation is comparable, if not superior, to other thiazide-rauwolfia combinations.