title: Effects of valsartan compared with enalapril on blood pressure and cognitive function in elderly patients with essential hypertension.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This prospective, randomised, open-label, blinded-endpoint study was to compare the effects of the angiotensin II (Ang II) AT1 receptor antagonist valsartan with those of the ACE inhibitor enalapril on blood pressure (BP) and cognitive functions in elderly hypertensive patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and forty-four patients aged 61-80 years with mild to moderate essential hypertension (DBP > or =95 mmHg and < or =110 mmHg at the end of a 2-week placebo run-in period) were randomly assigned to once daily (o.d.) treatment with valsartan 160 mg ( n=73) or enalapril 20 mg ( n=71) for 16 weeks. The patients were examined every 4 weeks during the study, with pre-dose BP (standard mercury sphygmomanometer, Korotkoff I and V) and heart rate (pulse palpation) being recorded at each visit. Cognitive function was evaluated at the end of the wash-out period and after 16 weeks of active treatment by means of five tests (verbal fluency, the Boston naming test, word list memory, word list recall and word list recognition).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both valsartan and enalapril had a clear antihypertensive effect, but the former led to a slightly greater reduction in SBP/DBP at 16 weeks (18.6+/-4.6/13.7+/-4.0 mmHg vs 15.6+/-5.1/10.9+/-3.9 mmHg; P<0.01). Enalapril did not induce any significant changes in any of the cognitive function test scores; valsartan significantly increased the word list memory score (+11.8%; P<0.05 vs baseline and P<0.01 vs enalapril) and the word list recall score (+18.7%; P<0.05 vs baseline and P<0.01 vs enalapril), but not those of the other tests.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings indicate that, in elderly hypertensive patients, 16 weeks of treatment with valsartan 160 mg o.d. is more effective than enalapril 20 mg o.d. in reducing BP, and (unlike enalapril) improves some of the components of cognitive function, particularly episodic memory.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, Centro Ipertensione e Fisiopatologia Cardiovascolare, Clinica Medica II, IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo, University of Pavia, Piazzale Golgi 2, 27100, Pavia, Italy. r.fogari@smatteo.pv.it
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fogari
authors.forename: Amedeo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mugellini
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zoppi
authors.forename: Gianluigi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marasi
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pasotti
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Poletti
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rinaldi
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Preti
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D004656:Enalapril / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D013777:Tetrazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014633:Valine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068756:Valsartan
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D013777:Tetrazoles; D004656:Enalapril; D000068756:Valsartan; D014633:Valine