[Clinical effectiveness of and tolerance to ramipril in the treatment of essential arterial hypertension phase 1 and 2. Results of a multicenter study].
BACKGROUND
In the last two decades, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors have become first line medications in the treatment of hypertension.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the tolerance and effectiveness of ramipril as monotherapy in the treatment of essential hypertension.


METHODS
One hundred eighty eight hypertensive patients, aged 21 to 80 years-old, coming from 4 Chilean hospitals were studied. Using an open non controlled design; they were treated with placebo for two weeks and with the active drug during eight weeks, in initial doses of 2.5 mg/day that were adjusted to 5 mg/day if diastolic blood pressure did not drop below 90 mm Hg or if its reduction was less than 10 mm Hg.


RESULTS
During the active drug treatment period, systolic blood pressure decreased from 164.8 +/- 7.2 to 147.3 +/- 4.8 mm Hg. Diastolic blood pressure dropped from 102.3 +/- 3.1 to 87.8 +/- 3.0 mm Hg. Seventy percent of patients achieved a diastolic blood pressure of less than 90 mm Hg, 56.9% with 2.5 mg/day and 13.8% with 5 mg/day. Dizziness, cough and headache were the main adverse reactions, observed in 3.7, 3.2 and 2.1% of patients respectively. Adherence to treatment was 98%. There were no changes in laboratory values during the treatment period.


CONCLUSIONS
Ramipril is effective and well tolerated in the treatment of essential hypertension.
Fasce
E
E
Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Concepción, Chile.
Román
O
O
Zárate
H
H
Prat
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017257:Ramipril / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D017257:Ramipril