EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF BENAZEPRIL PLUS HYDROCHLOROTHIAZIDE VERSUS BENAZEPRIL ALONE IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS UNRESPONSIVE TO BENAZEPRIL MONOTHERAPY

A combination of benazepril 10 mg plus hydrochlorothiazide 12.5 mg onc e daily was investigated in the treatment of patients with mild-to-mod erate essential hypertension who had not responded to monotherapy with benazepril 10 mg. Patients failing to respond to 4 weeks of benazepri l 10 mg/d were randomized to continue with the monotherapy (n = 47) or receive the combination therapy (n = 46). After 4 weeks of double-bli nd treatment, reductions in blood pressure were significantly greater among patients given the combination than among those receiving benaze pril alone: a 4.7 +/- 1.5 mm Hg difference in mean sitting diastolic b lood pressure was noted in favor of the combination therapy (P = 0.003 7). The incidence of adverse events, particularly cough, was lower wit h benazepril + hydrochlorothiazide than with benazepril alone; no nota ble changes in body weight or heart rate were seen in either group.