LONG-TERM MONOTHERAPY WITH DRUGS FROM 4 M AIN GROUPS OF ANTIHYPERTENSIVE COMPOUNDS IN PATIENTS WITH MILD AND MODERATE ARTERIAL-HYPERTENSION

A multicenter randomized controlled trial was performed to compare ant ihypertensive effects and tolerance of captopril monotherapy with thos e of reference drugs from three other main groups of antihypertensive drugs: propranolol, hydrochlorothiazide, nifedipine. The trial include d 345 males with essential hypertension stage I-II by WHO criteria. Ev aluable patients after 8 months of treatment comprised 85.8%. 8-month monotherapy with captopril, nifedipine, hydrochlorothiazide and propra nolol was completed by 53.49%, 75.28%, 45.78% of patients, respectivel y. An antihypertensive effect was reached in 57.97% of patients on mon otherapy. Normalization of arterial pressure took place in 51.3%. The 4 drugs in the given doses produced a significant and similar effect i n relation to the action on arterial pressure (absolute value). As for individual effects (complete and partial), captopril and propranolol were equal, nifedipine was more beneficial than hydrochlorothiazide. S ide effects in captopril monotherapy arose 1.5-2 times less frequently than in response to propranolol or nifedipine and were similar to tho se of hydrochlorothiazide.