title: Antihypertensive efficacy of the ACE-inhibitor perindopril in the elderly.
abstract: To assess the antihypertensive efficacy of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitor, perindopril, in the elderly, patients >65 years of age with supine diastolic blood pressure (BP) > or =90 and < or =110 mm Hg at the end of a 4-week placebo washout period were treated with perindopril 4-8 mg/daily vs placebo using a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, parallel group design. Of the 191 patients entered, 183 completed 8 weeks of double-blind therapy. Average age was 72-73 years. Supine and standing BP at the end of the placebo run-in period were 173/96 vs 168/96 mm Hg. BPs were measured in the morning, 20-25 h after the previous day's dose (ie, at the end of the dosing interval). In the placebo group, supine and standing diastolic BP decreased by 3-4 mm Hg, and systolic BP by 6-7 mm Hg. In the perindopril-group, diastolic BP decreased by 6-7 mm Hg and systolic BP by 10-13 mm Hg (both P < 0.01 vs placebo). These data indicate a substantial placebo response of particularly systolic BP in older hypertensives and indicate the importance of a parallel placebo-group to assess the extent of the actual drug's effect. Perindopril caused additional decreases in diastolic BP by about 2 mm Hg, and in systolic BP by 4-5 mm Hg. The extent of this drug-effect may be less in older vs middle-aged hypertensives.
authors.affiliation: University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Leenen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tanner
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: McNally
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D020913:Perindopril / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011187:Posture; D016683:Supine Position
chemical_list: D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D020913:Perindopril