The previous volume on Antihypertensive Agents in the Handbook of Experi mental Pharmacology, published in 1977, was edited by the late Franz Gross from the Department of Pharmacology in Heidelberg, who was one of the grand old men in hypertension research. Now, more than 10 years later, it is necessary to update this volume. From the early days of antihypertensive drug treatment, starting about 30 years ago with drugs such as reserpine and guanethidine, the pharmacology of cardiovas" cular therapy has evolved into a highly sophisticated and effective therapeutic regimen. The major breakthroughs in the 1960s were the introduction of diuretics and beta-blockers. Then, in the 1980s, came the calcium antagonists and con verting enzyme inhibitors. It can be anticipated that the next decade will see a further expansion and sophistication of blood pressure lowering drugs. This book provides a state-of-the-art discussion of chemical, experimental, and clinical pharmacological data as well as of practical experience with drugs which are presently being used or which are going to be introduced on the market in the near future. The purpose of this volume is to provide a complete discussion of antihypertensive agents. Each major class of antihypertensive drugs is treated exhaustively in a separate chapter, fully referenced with chemical formulae, and richly illustrated with figures and tables. International authorities were asked to contribute in their respective fields of expertise.
