title: Captopril and nifedipine in combination for moderate to severe essential hypertension.
abstract: The effects of the addition of a calcium entry antagonist, nifedipine (20-mg tablet twice a day), to an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, captopril (25 mg three times a day), and the addition of captopril to nifedipine were observed in two separate studies in patients with essential hypertension. After 4 weeks of captopril therapy alone, mean arterial pressure fell by 12 mm Hg, and with the addition of nifedipine to captopril for a further month, blood pressure fell by an additional 10 mm Hg. In a separate group of patients treated with the same doses, mean arterial pressure fell by 17 mm Hg with nifedipine treatment alone; when captopril was added to the nifedipine therapy for an additional month, mean arterial pressure fell by a further 11 mm Hg. These blood pressures were measured 2 hours after the last dose; however, there was less of a fall in blood pressure when it was measured 12 hours after the last dose. This study confirms that captopril and nifedipine have a marked additive effect on blood pressure in whichever order they are given, but it shows that the combination is relatively short-acting.
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Singer
authors.forename: N D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Markandu
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Shore
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: MacGregor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000097:blood; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002216:Captopril / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011674:Pulse / Q000187:drug effects; D011897:Random Allocation; D012083:Renin / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000450:Aldosterone; D002216:Captopril; D012083:Renin; D009543:Nifedipine