EFFECT OF BENAZEPRIL PLUS AMLODIPINE VS BENAZEPRIL ALONE ON URINARY ALBUMIN EXCRETION IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS WITH TYPE-II DIABETES AND MICROALBUMINURIA

To compare the effect of the combination of benazepril and amlodipine on urinary albumin excretion (UAE) with that of benazepril alone, 45 p atients with hypertension and type II (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus and microalbuminuria were randomised to receive benazepril 1 0 mg plus amlodipine 5 mg once daily, or benazepril monotherapy (10 mg once daily), for 6 months, Before and after 3 and 6 months of therapy , sitting blood pressure and heart rate, bodyweight, UAE, plasma creat inine and creatinine clearance, glycosylated haemoglobin and plasma le vels of glucose, electrolytes, uric acid and nitrogen were evaluated. Both benazepril alone and benazepril plus amlodipine significantly red uced blood pressure values without affecting heart rate and glucose ho meostasis, but combination therapy was more effective in lowering both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. At 3 months, there was a simil ar reduction in UAE in the patients treated with benazepril alone and in those treated with benazepril plus amlodipine. but at 6 months UAE tended to show a greater decrease with the combination (-24.6%, p < 0. 02) than with monotherapy (-19.7%, p < 0.04). Creatinine clearance sig nificantly increased during combination therapy (p < 0.02). but was un changed during benazepril monotherapy. In conclusion, compared with be nazepril monotherapy, benazepril plus amlodipine tended to produce a g reater reduction in UAE, and increased creatinine clearance.