ANTIHYPERTENSIVE EFFECTIVENESS OF A VERY-LOW FIXED-DOSE COMBINATION OF MOEXIPRIL AND HYDROCHLOROTHIAZIDE

The antihypertensive and metabolic effects of a fixed combination of v ery low dose of moexipril (MO), an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, and hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) were tested in a multicente r, placebo (PBO) controlled, double-blind, parallel study of men (M) a nd women (W) with mild to moderate essential hypertension. After 4 wee ks of PBO treatment, 223 patients with sitting diastolic blood pressur e (SDBP of 95-114 mm HE and sitting systolic blood pressure (SSBP) les s than or equal to 200 mm Hg, inclusive, were randomized to PBO (114 p atients: M, 56; W, 58) and MO/HCTZ 3.75/6.25 mg (109 patients: M, 58; W, 51) given once daily and followed up for 12 weeks. The fixed combin ation MO/HCTZ, 3.75/6.25 mg, reduced SSBP/SDBP -7.6/-7.6 mm Hg (M, -8. 5/-8.0; W, -6.3/-7.0), versus PBO, +0.2/-3.9 mm Hg (M, -1.9/-3.4;W, +1 .1/-4.4); p < 0.05. Also, 54% of patients receiving MO/HCTZ, 3.75/6.25 mg/day, had good blood pressure response (SDBP less than or equal to 90 mm Hg, or greater than or equal to 10 mm Hg decrease from baseline) , versus 28% for PBO (p < 0.001). The clinical and metabolic side effe cts were minor and not different between MO/HCTZ and PBO. The results of this study indicate (a) a once-daily very low dose fixed combinatio n of MO/HCTZ is effective and well tolerated by men and women with mil d to moderate essential hypertension; (b) it is almost devoid of clini cal and metabolic side effects; and (c) the safely profile was similar in men and women.