Moxonidine and ramipril in patients with hypertension and obstructive pulmonary disease

Objectives: To investigate the tolerability and efficacy of moxonidine in t he treatment of arterial hypertension in patients with obstructive pulmonar y disease. The ACE inhibitor ramipril was used as a reference agent. Patients and Methods: A group of 104 adult patients with arterial hypertens ion and respiratory disorders took part in a double-blind, randomised, para llel-gronp, single-centre study. During the eight-week treatment phase, pat ients received either moxonidine (0.2 or 0.4 mg/day) or the ACE inhibitor r amipril (2.5 or 5 mg/day). Results: Small, nonsignificant changes in arterial oxygen partial pressure (PaO2) were observed during the treatment period with both moxonidine and r amipril. Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) remained constant du ring treatment with moxonidine. A slight decrease in FEV1 with ramipril was not statistically significant (p > 0.1). The 24-hour blood pressure measur ements showed that systolic and diastolic blood pressures were reduced with moxonidine (p = 0.018 and p = 0.009, respectively) and with ramipril (p < 0.001 for both measurements). Conclusions: Moxonidine and ramipril exhibited comparable antihypertensive efficacy. Lung function was unchanged during treatment with moxonidine, sug gesting that this new antihypertensive agent may be an appropriate choice o f medication for patients with essential hypertension and concomitant obstr uctive pulmonary disease.