title: [Blood pressure lowering by the ACE-inhibitor spirapril. "24-hour efficacy of real once daily application of spirapril (HERAS study)"].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this open multicentre study, the effect of the ACE-inhibitor spirapril on office blood pressure and 24-hour blood pressure regulation was investigated. A total of 845 general practices recruited 2,491 patients to the 12-week study. Included were patients with newly diagnosed hypertension receiving spirapril alone, and patients who had already been taking antihypertensive agents and who were changed over to monotherapy with spirapril. Also included was a group of patients receiving spirapril in addition to other antihypertensives. Data were collected separately both from the group as a whole and also from a subgroup of patients receiving spirapril (6 mg/day) for whom 24-hour blood pressure records were available at the start and termination of the study (n=606).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 24-hour blood pressure measurements showed a decrease of the mean diurnal systolic blood pressure from 150.9 mmHg to 134.7 mmHg, and of the mean nocturnal blood pressure from 138.1 mmHg to 123.2 mmHg. The corresponding mean diurnal diastolic blood pressure decreased from 88.8 mmHgto 81.4 mmHg, and the mean nocturnal pressure from 79.6 mmHg to 72.2 mmHg. The toterability of spirapril proved to be very good with a side effect rate of 1.3 %. No serious adverse reactions were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results show that in general practice use spirapril effectively lowers blood pressure, and is very well tolerated. The blood pressure decrease is maintained over the entire 24 hours and is still clearly evident towards the end of the period, that is, in the critical early morning hours.
authors.affiliation: Universitätsklinikum Bonn. duesing@uni-bonn.de
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Düsing
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: 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; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004656:Enalapril / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D004656:Enalapril; C052555:spirapril