Blood pressure measurements were obtained from
each patient (right arm) in the seated position, by using
a standard mercury (Erkameter 3000, ERKA, Bad Tolz,
Germany) sphygmomanometer (Korotkoff I and V) with a
cuff of appropriate size. Measurements were always
taken by the same investigator in the morning before
daily drug intake (i.e. approximately 24 h after dosing)
and after the subject had rested 10 min in a quiet room.
Three successive blood pressure readings were obtained
at 1 minute intervals and averaged.