Nipradilol (K-351) is a new type of beta-blocker with vasodilating action. In this paper, the hemodynamic effect of nipradilol was studied non-invasively using 10 hypertensive patients. Nipradilol was orally given to patients with mild or moderate essential hypertension for about 3 months, and blood pressure (BP), heart rate(HR), cardiac output (CO), and systolic time intervals (STI) were measured, respectively. As results in the responder patients, both BP and HR decreased significantly, CO

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... ained unchanged, and the total peripheral resistance (TPR) tended to decrease. In STI, the ejection time (ET) prolonged, the preejection period (PEP) shortened slightly, and ET/PEP increased. Accordingly, the hemodynamic effect of nipradilol was different from that of propranolol, probably due to the vasodilating action of nipradilol.