EFFICACY OF DELAPRIL IN THE TREATMENT OF MILD-TO-MODERATE ESSENTIAL-HYPERTENSION - EVALUATION BY 24-HOUR AMBULATORY BLOOD-PRESSURE MONITORING

This study assessed the antihypertensive efficacy of delapril for mild to moderate essential hypertension by 24-hour ambulatory blood pressu re monitoring (ABPM). After an initial 2-week placebo run-in period, 5 0 patients (39 men and 11 women; mean age 53.7 years) were given delap ril 30 mg once daily for 8 weeks. Patients were examined after the ini tial placebo phase and then once every 4 weeks. At each visit, casual blood pressure and heart rate were measured. At the end of the placebo period and again after 8 weeks of delapril treatment, noninvasive ABP M was performed. Compared with placebo, delapril significantly reduced 24-hour daytime and nighttime systolic blood pressure (SEP) and diast olic blood pressure (DBP), without changing the normal circadian blood pressure profile. The trough:peak ratio for both SEP and DBP was high er than 50%, and ABPM results were corroborated by casual measurement, which showed a significant reduction in supine and standing SEP and D BP at the end of the dosage interval. Ambulatory and casual heart rate was not affected by delapril therapy, nor were serious side effects r eported. These results suggest that delapril 30 mg taken once daily wa s effective in and well tolerated by patients with mild to moderate es sential hypertension, providing adequate blood pressure control throug hout 24 hours.