ANTIHYPERTENSIVE TREATMENT WITH MOEXIPRIL PLUS HCTZ VS METOPROLOL PLUS HCTZ IN PATIENTS WITH MILD-TO-MODERATE HYPERTENSION

Combination therapy with the new ACE inhibitor moexipril plus hydrochl orothiazide (HCTZ) results in significant blood pressure (BP) reductio ns. This study compares the efficacy and safety of moexipril plus HCTZ to that of a standard combination treatment in patients with mild-to- moderate hypertension. After a 1 month placebo run-in period, 140 hype rtensive patients whose sitting diastolic BP (DBP) averaged 95-114 mm Hg were randomized to receive either once daily moexipril 7.5mg/HCTZ 1 2.5 mg or metoprolol 100 mg/HCTZ 12.5 mg for the following 12-week dou ble-blind treatment period. At biweekly visits BP was controlled sphyg momanometrically and the occurrence of adverse events (AE) was documen ted. At study endpoint adjusted mean reductions in sitting systolic/di astolic BP seen with both combinations were -17.6 mmHg/-12.8 mmHg and -17.2 mmHg/-13.9 mmHg in the moexipril/HCTZ and metoprolol/HCTZ groups , respectively. The response rate to both kinds of combinations were v ery similar, 69% and 74% in the moexipril/HCTZ and metoprolol/HCTZ gro ups, respectively. The percentage of patients which experienced one or more AEs were 46% in the moexipril/HCTZ and 61% in the metoprolol/HCT Z group. Headache and cough which are the most frequently reported AEs after treatment with ACE inhibitors were seen in 9% and 10% of the pa tients in the moexipril/HCTZ group compared to 10% and 4% in the metop rolol/HCTZ group. The study indicates that the combination of moexipri l 7.5 mg plus HCTZ 12.5 mg is as efficacious and safe as metoprolol 10 0 mg plus HCTZ 12.5 mg in the treatment of mild-to-moderate hypertensi on.