compared with atenolol and propranolol (6%" 10%, and 27% respectively). We have carried out several studies on the hypotensive effect of pindolol administered in a single daily dose. In agreement with Dr Wilcox we think it is very important to evaluate a 24-h effect and therefore we also measured blood pressure in the morning before the administration of the daily dose of pindolol. In a multicentre study4 we found that 44 patients who were satisfactorily controlled on multiple doses of a

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... ocker could be maintained adequately with a mean dose of 13 mg of pindolol given once daily. In another study 16 patients received increasing single daily doses of pindolol from 5 to 20 mg, and the mean supine blood pressure was lowered from 181/ 111 nmm Hg after three weeks, placebo treatment to 150/91 mm Hg after 16 weeks' drug treatment.2 Our results are in good agreement with those of Gordon,5 who also found a satisfactory lowering of blood pressure throughout a 24-h period with single daily doses of pindolol. Recently a multicentre study has been published by Rosenthal6 in which more than 7000 patients were treated with pindolol once daily, with good success in 750°/. MATS DANIELSSON