The present study investigated the effect of the new ACE-inhibitor moexipril versus the beta 1-adrenergic blocker atenolol on metabolic parameters, adverse events (AEs) and sitting systolic (SSBP) and sitting diastolic blood pressure (SDBP) in obese postmenopausal women with hypertension (stage I and II). After a 4-week placebo run-in phase, 116 obese, postmenopausal women with primary hypertension were randomised into two treatment groups receiving once daily dosages of either moexipril 7.5 mg or atenolol 25 mg initially (mean age: 57 +/- 7 years in both groups; mean weight: 94 kg in the moexipril group and 89 kg in the atenolol group, corresponding to a body mass index (BMI) of 35.2 kg/m2 and 34.1 kg/m2 in both groups, respectively). After 4 and 8 weeks, the dosages were uptitrated to moexipril 15 mg, or if necessary to moexipril 15 mg/hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) 25 mg, or to atenolol 50 mg and atenolol 50 mg/HCTZ 25 mg, in patients whose blood pressure was not sufficiently controlled. At endpoint, metabolic parameters (total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, HDL, glucose, insulin) were not significantly altered in either treatment group. Most frequent adverse events under monotherapy (moexipril/atenolol) were asthenia (5.3/13.0%), headache (13.2/21.7%), cough (7.9/6.5%), pharyngitis (21.1/8.7%) and peripheral oedema (5.3/13.0%). Overall at least one AE was reported in 66% of the patients treated with moexipril and in 78% of those treated with atenolol. Reduction of SSBP/SDBP at endpoint was 14.7 +/- 1.9/10.0 +/- 1.1 and 8.7 +/- 1.9/8.4 +/- 1.1 mmHg after treatment with moexipril and atenolol, respectively. The results showed that moexipril and atenolol are equally effective in reducing blood pressure without adversely affecting blood lipids and carbohydrate metabolism.