Lercanidipine and losartan effects on blood pressure and fibrinolytic parameters.
Antihypertensive agents may modulate fibrinolysis in addition to reducing blood pressure. We conducted a randomized trial to assess the effects of lercanidipine and losartan on blood pressure (BP) lowering and three fibrinolytic parameters: plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), D-dimer, and fibrinogen. All patients enrolled had essential hypertension and underwent a placebo run-in period of 2 weeks before randomization to either lercanidipine tablets 10-20 mg once daily or losartan tablets 50-100 mg once daily. Twenty-six patients completed this study. After 8 weeks of treatment, both groups of patients had significantly reduced systolic (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) (SBP, p = 0.034 and 0.050, respectively; DBP, p = 0.018 and 0.034 for lercanidipine and losartan, respectively). Both drugs were well tolerated. Only in the group treated with lercanidipine was PAI-1 concentration significantly reduced (57.1 +/- 4.7 to 43.1 +/- 4.8 ng/mL, p = 0.047). No difference was found with D-dimer and fibrinogen in either group. This study shows that both lercanidipine and losartan are effective antihypertensive drugs in patients with essential hypertension. Lercanidipine may provide additional benefit in fibrinolysis.
Lin
Tsung-Hsien
TH
Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Voon
Wen-Chol
WC
Yen
Hsueh-Wei
HW
Huang
Chih-Hsin
CH
Su
Ho-Ming
HM
Lai
Wen-Ter
WT
Sheu
Sheng-Hsiung
SH