title: Antihypertensive efficacy and tolerability of once daily losartan potassium compared with captopril in patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Losartan potassium, an orally active, highly selective AT1 angiotensin II receptor inhibitor, effectively reduces blood pressure by direct receptor blockade, thereby lessening the likelihood of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor-associated side effects such as dry cough or possibly angioedema.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this multinational, double-blind, randomized, parallel study, the efficacy and tolerability of once-daily losartan (50 mg) versus once-daily ACE inhibitor (captopril; 50 mg) was evaluated in 163 patients with mild to moderate hypertension. Non-responders after a 6-week treatment period had the dosage doubled for both study drugs until the end of study (week 12).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean reductions in trough sitting diastolic blood pressure were significantly greater in the losartan group at week 6 (7.8 mmHg) and week 12 (9.1 mmHg) than in the captopril group (5.2 and 5.7 mmHg, respectively). Losartan and captopril were well tolerated. Headache was the most common adverse event reported in both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It was concluded that a once-daily administration of losartan was significantly more effective in this study in lowering sitting diastolic blood pressure than once-daily administration of captopril in patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension. Both losartan and captopril regimes were well tolerated.
authors.affiliation: Merck Research Laboratories, West Point, PA 19486, USA.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Mallion
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Bradstreet
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Makris
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Goldberg
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Halasz
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Sweet
authors.forename: N Y
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Madonna
mesh_terms: D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002216:Captopril / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D019808:Losartan / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D002216:Captopril; D019808:Losartan