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A Comparison of Enalapril and Metoprolol as Initial Therapy for Mild to Moderate Hypertension
Author(s) -
Nugent Louise W.,
Miola Steven R.,
Walker J. Findlay
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
the journal of clinical pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.92
H-Index - 116
eISSN - 1552-4604
pISSN - 0091-2700
DOI - 10.1002/j.1552-4604.1987.tb03050.x
Subject(s) - enalapril , metoprolol , hydrochlorothiazide , medicine , blood pressure , supine position , essential hypertension , angiotensin converting enzyme , anesthesia , cardiology
The safety and efficacy of step‐one therapy with enalapril, a new angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitor, and metoprolol were compared in a double‐blind, multicenter study involving 150 patients who had mild to moderate essential hypertension. After a four‐week period of placebo run‐in, therapy was initiated with twice‐daily administration of either 5 mg of enalapril (N = 75) or 50 mg of metoprolol (N = 75). Patients who did not achieve a supine diastolic blood pressure of less than 90 mm Hg after six weeks of enalapril (maximum dose = 40 mg/d) or metoprolol (maximum dose = 400 mg/d) had hydrochlorothiazide 50 mg/d added to their treatment regimen for an additional six weeks. Both treatments produced significant ( P < .001) mean reductions in supine and standing blood pressures after 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 weeks of active therapy. Maximum reductions from baseline values of supine blood pressure in enalapril‐treated (‐25/‐16 mm Hg) and metoprolol‐treated (‐21/‐15 mm Hg) patients were observed after 12 weeks of single‐ or double‐drug therapy. Approximately two‐thirds of the patients responded to single‐drug therapy; when hydrochlorothiazide was added, response rates increased to 88% of the patients treated with enalapril and 80% of the patients treated with metoprolol. Enalapril produced a consistently greater reduction in systolic blood pressure. Blacks had a significantly smaller mean blood pressure response to both enalapril and metoprolol than did nonblacks. Metoprolol patients had significant mean pulse rate reductions; enalapril patients had no significant change. Four enalapril‐treated and six metoprolol‐treated patients discontinued treatment because of side effects. The results of this study indicate that both enalapril and metoprolol are safe and effective for step‐one therapy in patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension .