title: Efficacy and safety of the treatment: combination of benazepril/lercanidipine vs. benazepril alone in patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Combination therapy is an effective method to reduce the blood pressure (BP) for patients with hypertension. This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of benazepril/lercanidipine compared with benazepril alone in patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and eighty-one patients with mild-to-moderate primary hypertension were assigned in this randomized, single-blind, parallel-group study and were randomly divided into group A (benazepril 10 mg/lercanidipine 10 mg) and group B (benazepril 10 mg) for 8 weeks. At 4 weeks, the dosage of Benazepril was titrated up to 20 mg if the diastolic blood pressure (DBP) remained ≥ 90 mmHg. BP control and side effects were evaluated at the end of 1, 4 and 8 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The baseline characteristics of the two groups were similar. The BP in both groups decreased from the baseline (P < 0.05). At the end of 4 and 8 weeks, Benazepril/Lercanidipine produced greater BP reduction than Benazepril alone (P < 0.05). The comparison of the rate of BP control for the benazepril/lercanidipine and benazepril groups at the end of 1, 4, and 8 weeks were 41.2% vs. 37.6% (P > 0.05), 67.1% vs. 44.7% (P < 0.05), and 71.8% vs. 45.9% (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference of side effects between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The benazepril/lercanidipine combination is more effective in reducing BP than benazepril alone, while it does not increase the incidence of side effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Guang-Hui
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ting-Shu
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Zhen-Yu
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Wei-Shuai
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: Xiao-Xia
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jia-Dan
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001552:Benzazepines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004095:Dihydropyridines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016037:Single-Blind Method
chemical_list: D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D001552:Benzazepines; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D004095:Dihydropyridines; C044946:benazepril; C060343:lercanidipine