COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF EFFECTS OF CAPTOPRIL AND RAMIPRIL ON DIURNAL BLOOD-PRESSURE PROFILE AND PERIPHERAL HEMODYNAMICS IN ESSENTIAL-HYPERTENSION

Effects of captopril and ramipril on results of 24-hour blood pressure monitoring, venous occlusion plethysmography and doppler ultrasonogra phy of peripheral vessels were compared in 20 patients with mild to mo derate hypertension. The treatment started with captopril (100 - 125 m g/day for 6 weeks) and then after 2 weeks of washout period ramipril ( 5 - 10 mg/day) was given also for 6 week. Sensitivity to both inihibit ors of angiotensin converting enzyme was almost the same (60% and 50% to captopril and ramipril, respectively). Hypotensive action of ramipr il was significantly weaker than that of captopril (ramipril lowered m ean 24-hour diastolic blood pressure by 3.1+/-2.7 mm Hg less than capt opril). But effects of ramipril on parameters of peripheral hemodynami cs were significantly more pronounced. Compared to captopril ramipril to a greater extent decreased vascular resistance in upper and lower e xtremities and increased volume velocity of blood flow during reactive hyperemia (in the upper extremity) or at rest (in the lower extermity ). According to results of doppler ultrasonography both captopril and ramipril increased diameters of left brachial (by 10.5 and 17.5%, resp ectively) and left femoral (by 10.3 and 13,7%, respectively) arteries. Differences between vasodilating effects of two drugs were not signif icant.