The aim of this study was to assess the influence of antihypertensive agents on arterial wave reflections (AWR) and carotid pulse pressure (PP) in humans. Twenty patients with hypertension (predominantly systolic) were studied. After one month of placebo therapy they were randomly assigned to atenolol (At) 50 mg/day or to nitrendipine (Ni) 40 mg/day. Carotid pressure waveform was recorded noninvasively by applanation tonometry using a Millar micromanometer-tipped probe. Arterial wave reflections were quantified as the ratio of the height of the late systolic peak (delta P) to the total height of carotid pulse pressure wave as an augmentation index (delta P/PP). Travel time of the reflected wave (delta tp) was timed from the foot of the pressure wave to the foot of the late systolic peak. Atenolol and Ni were equally effective in reducing sphygmomanometric brachial artery blood pressure (BP). Whereas At (p < 0.05) and Ni (p < 0.01) reduced the carotid PP, Ni (p < 0.01) but not At significantly reduced delta P/PP. Both agents increased the delta tp (p < 0.01) and decreased aortic PWV (p < 0.01). Nitrendipine was associated with a decrease in left ventricular ejection time (LVET) (p < 0.01), while At increased heart period (p < 0.01) and LVET. The LVET/delta tp ratio decreased after Ni (from 3.25 +/- 0.77 to 2.42 +/- 0.73; p < 0.01) but did not change after At. The study shows, that for the same effect on peripheral BP, Ni has a more pronounced effect on pressure wave in central arteries, resulting from an improvement in the timing between the ventricular ejection and AWRs.