A comparison of valsartan and captopril in Taiwanese patients with essential hypertension

The safety, tolerability, and antihypertensive efficacy of valsartan and ca ptopril were compared in adult Taiwanese outpatients with mild to moderate essential hypertension. Participants in this open-label study were randomiz ed to receive either valsartan 80 mg once daily or captopril 25 mg twice da ily for 8 weeks, with optional titration to valsartan 160 mg or captopril 5 0 mg after 4 weeks. The primary criterion for tolerability was the incidenc e of adverse events and the primary efficacy variable was the change in mea n sitting diastolic blood pressure (SDBP) from baseline to endpoint. A seco ndary efficacy variable was the change in mean sitting systolic blood press ure (SSBP). Fewer patients receiving valsartan reported adverse events (80 mg, 51.2%; 160 mg, 27.8%) than patients taking captopril (25 mg, 65.2%; 50 mg, 42.9%). A significant difference (P<.001) was observed in the number of captopril-treated patients reporting drug-related dry cough (30.4%) versus the valsartan-treated patients (2.3%). No significant difference was noted in mean SDBP and SSBP reductions between valsartan and captopril. We concl ude that valsartan 80 or 160 mg is as effective as captopril 25 or 50 mg in reducing blood pressure and has a significantly better tolerability profil e.