DOUBLE-BLIND COMPARISON OF AMLODIPINE AND HYDROCHLOROTHIAZIDE IN PATIENTS WITH MILD-TO-MODERATE HYPERTENSION

In the final analysis of this study at Week 26, 26% of the patients ra ndomized to receive amlodipine attained blood pressure control with am lodipine alone compared with 33% of the patients allocated to hydrochl orothiazide (HCTZ). Neither amlodipine nor HCTZ produced clinically si gnificant changes in pulse rate or in the electrocardiogram. Amlodipin e treatment did not appear to produce clinically significant changes i n blood lipids; HCTZ, however, produced an increase in total plasma ch olesterol (DELTA22.9 +/- 8.6 mg/dl). The incidence of side effects and the rate of patient withdrawal in the amlodipine and HCTZ groups were comparable. As expected, HCTZ therapy caused well-recognized biochemi cal alterations in cholesterol and potassium levels, whereas amlodipin e was metabolically neutral.