Ramipril vs captopril in mild to moderate hypertension.
Ramipril 5 mg once daily was compared to Captopril 50 mg twice daily in a randomised, double-blind, parallel group study in 60 patients with a diastolic blood pressure between 95 to 120 mmHg over a period of 2 months. Both drugs in the dose regimen used in this study exerted a similar anti-hypertensive effect at the end of 2 months of treatment resulting in a fall of supine diastolic blood pressure with Ramipril = 19.27 +/- 3.34 mmHg and Captopril = 19.15 +/- 2.63, in patients receiving the drugs without the diuretic. The mean fall in supine diastolic blood pressure 4 hours after the first dose of Ramipril was 6.5 mmHg and Captopril 8 mmHg. None of the patients developed first dose hypotension or orthostatic hypotension and there was no significant alteration of the heart rate in either group. The serum K+ levels remained unchanged in both groups of patients. Both drugs were well tolerated and there were no adverse effects observed on the liver, kidney, blood sugar or haemopoietic system. Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that the antihypertensive efficacy of 5 mg ramipril in a once daily dose is equivalent to 50 mg captopril given twice daily. However an appreciably greater number of patients reported improvement in the "quality of life' parameters with ramipril as compared to captopril. Thus for the routine treatment of mild to moderate arterial hypertension, ramipril offers reliable antihypertensive efficacy in a once daily dose, thereby helping to improve patient compliance and making the treatment more economical.
Yajnik
V H
VH
Dept. of Medicine, M.P. Shah Medical College, Jamnagar.
Vatsraj
D J
DJ
Acharya
H K
HK
Yajnik
N V
NV
Vyas
N R
NR
Vakil
H B
HB
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002216:Captopril / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017257:Ramipril / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D002216:Captopril; D017257:Ramipril