COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF THE ANTIHYPERTENSIVE EFFECTS OF RAMIPRIL AND ENALAPRIL USING 24-HOUR AMBULATORY BLOOD-PRESSURE MEASUREMENTS

The following study was performed to compare the efficiency of 10 mg/d enalapril and 2.5 mg/d ramipril. 56 patients with mild to moderate hy pertension were included in a multicenter, single-blind and randomized study. The patients were treated with either 10 mg enalapril or 2.5 m g ramipril once daily at 8.00 am. Patients could be included when ABPM demonstrated a mean 24-hour diastolic blood pressure between 80 - 100 mmHg. ABPM was performed before and after a treatment-period of 6 wee ks. 43 of the included patients could be analyzed completely. The mean inital 24-hour blood pessure values were comparable in both groups (e nalapril: 141/88, ramipril: 142/90 mmHg). After 6 weeks of treatment, a comparable significant decrease was found in both groups, The averag e 24-hour blood pressure decrease was 12.4/8.6 mmHg for enalapril and 10.2/7.1 mmHg for ramipril. Additionally, there was no difference in s ide effects, laboratory results and compliance test for ACE in plasma between the treatment groups. Conclusions: Enalapril 10 mg/d and ramip ril 2.5 mg/d exhibit a comparable antihypertensive effect on 24-hour b lood pressure after a 6-week treatment period.