CLINICAL AND FUNCTIONAL COURSE OF COPD IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS WITH CONCOMITANT CHRONIC-BRONCHITIS AND EMPHYSEMA DURING TREATMENT WITH AN ACE INHIBITOR, PERINDOPRIL

To assess the safety of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), 60 patients with ess ential hypertension and COPD were treated with perindopril or placebo for six weeks in a randomised, double-blind study. Forced expiratory v olume in the first second, peak expiratory flow rate and clinical seve rity of COPD were not significantly different between the perindopril and placebo groups. The number of unwanted side effects and withdrawal s was similar in both groups and none of the patients on perindropril exhibited significant clinical or functional impairment of COPD. ACE i nhibitor-induced cough occurred in one out of 34 patients on perindopr il (2.9%). It is concluded from these results that ACE inhibition is a safe therapeutic option for patients with hypertension and concomitan t chronic obstructive airways disease.