title: The French multicentre study of ramipril in ambulatory patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension.
abstract: The aim of this 16-week trial was to determine the safety and efficacy of a step-care regimen of ramipril, an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, from the minimal active dose (2.5 mg) in patients treated for mild to moderate hypertension. The trial was conducted by 102 general practitioners in 770 patients with mild to moderate hypertension. After a response rate to a 4-week placebo therapy of 9.1%, 57.0% of patients given active treatment with ramipril responded to daily doses of 2.5 mg. Ramipril 5 mg daily was effective in 55.6% of the remaining patients. There was no apparent statistically significant difference between the treatments with ramipril 10 mg or a combination of ramipril 5 mg + Lasix 20 mg daily (44.7% and 47.4% response respectively) in a 6-week double-blind arm of the study. In total, more than 90% of patients responded to treatment with ramipril by the end of the study. The incidence of adverse events was generally low, such as headache, cough, dizziness, asthenia, cramps and nausea. The incidence of cough appeared to be related both to the dosage of ramipril given and to outbreaks of influenza syndrome. Thirty-eight patients discontinued active treatment as a result of minor events such as cough, dizziness or diarrhoea, and one case each of myalgia and papular rash. There were no significant variations in laboratory parameters during the study, especially fasting blood glucose and apolipoprotein A1 and B. The results of this study provide evidence of the safety and efficacy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Service de Médecine Interne et HTA, Hôpital Cardiologique, Lille, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carré
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zannad
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vasmant
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D005665:Furosemide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017257:Ramipril / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016037:Single-Blind Method
chemical_list: D005665:Furosemide; D017257:Ramipril