One-year renal and cardiac effects of bisoprolol versus losartan in recently diagnosed hypertensive patients: a randomized, double-blind study.

Background and objectives: Hypertension is a significant cause of chronic renal injury and its effective treatment is capable of reducing the rate of renal failure. β-Adrenoceptor antagonists (β-blockers) have been reported to induce a deterioration in renal function, while several data have indicated a renoprotective effect of treatment with the angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonist losartan. Previous studies of the interaction between the selective β1-blocker bisoprolol and kidney function were performed only for short-and medium-term periods. The aim of this study was to compare the antihypertensive efficacy and renal and cardiac haemodynamic effects of bisoprolol with those of losartan over a 1-year time period in patients with essential hypertension.