Antihypertensive efficacy of amlodipine and losartan after two 'missed' doses in patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension.
We compared the effects of amlodipine (5-10 mg, n=94) and losartan (50-100 mg, n=94) on the lowering of blood pressure (BP) at steady state and after two missed doses, as well as on tolerability. This was a randomized, double-blind study of 12 weeks of active treatment followed by 2 days of placebo treatment. Twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and office BP measurements were performed at baseline, week 12 and after the 2-day drug holiday. After 12 weeks, amlodipine was significantly more effective than losartan in reducing both 24-h systolic blood pressure (SBP) (-18.0 versus -10.8 mmHg) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (-10.6 versus -8.0 mmHg). While mean SBP and DBP for both treatments increased comparably during the drug holiday, BP values remained significantly lower than baseline for both treatments. The superior BP-lowering effect of amlodipine compared with losartan was maintained during the drug holiday.
Hospital do Rim e Hipertensão, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Sao Paulo, Brazil. artur.ribeiro@hrim.com.br
A B
AB
Ribeiro
D
D
Mion
M J
MJ
Marin
C
C
Majul
R
R
Botero
R
R
López
N R
NR
López
S
S
Gonzalez
H
H
Izurieta
E A
EA
Francischetti
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017311:Amlodipine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019808:Losartan / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010919:Placebos; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D010919:Placebos; D017311:Amlodipine; D019808:Losartan