Kelemen 1990.

Methods	Randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, parallel study. After screening, participant entered a 4‐week single‐blind placebo washout period. During which all antihypertensive drugs were replaced by placebo. After washout, patients were tested for baseline readings. Eligible participants were then randomized to a double‐blind treatment group for 11 weeks
Participants	Inclusion criteria: DBP > 90 mmHg but < 105 mmHg Exclusion criteria: history of coronary, valvular, renal, cerebral vascular, hepatic or neurological diseases; history of alcohol or drug abuse; any contraindication for propranolol and diltiazem and exercise
Interventions	Participants first started on propranolol 160 mg, diltiazem 240 mg or placebo in the first week. Then they were force titrated to propranolol 240 mg or diltiazem 360 mg per day or equal amount of placebo pills. After titration, all participants entered a 10‐week exercise training program
Outcomes	Echocardiogram; resting supine and exercise SBP, DBP, HR; plasma lipid and lipoprotein
Notes	Only exercise HR was reported. Resting HR was not reported
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Unclear risk	No information
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Unclear risk	No information
Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) All outcomes	High risk	Placebo pills were in the same number of active treatments, but pulse rate effect would unblind BP measurement
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) Primary and secondary outcomes	Low risk	1 participant withdrew from propranolol group
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	High risk	HR was not reported