[Cerebral blood flow in elderly hypertensives after enalapril of calcium channel blockers].
25 elderly hypertensive patients (mean age 66.5 +/- 5.0 years) were given enalapril (E) 20-40 mg daily, or calcium channel blockers (CCB): either slow-release nifedipine (40 mg) or long-acting verapamil (120-360 mg) daily, 6 weeks each, in a single-blind crossover study. At the end of each treatment period cerebral blood flow (CBF) was assessed by single proton emission, computed tomography, using 99m-Tc-exametazime. In the 20 patients who completed the study, supine BP was lowered from 194/106 to 167/90 mmHg (p less than 0.001/0.001) by E and from 185/104 to 172/91 (p less than 0.01/0.001) by CCB. Standing BP was lowered from 184/106 to 160/93 (p less than 0.001/0.001) by E and from 175/102 to 162/93 (p less than 0.01/0.01) by CCB. Although there were great interpatient differences in CBF, the individual pattern remained unaltered by either E or CCB and mean quantitative changes were not significant. We conclude that in elderly hypertensives both E and CCB effectively lower BP, while cerebral perfusion is not adversely affected by either.
Ayache
A S
AS
Dept. of Medicine A, Rebecca Sieff Medical Center, Safed.
Traub
Y M
YM
D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D004656:Enalapril / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016037:Single-Blind Method
D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D004656:Enalapril