EFFICACY OF RAMIPRIL VERSUS ENALAPRIL IN PATIENTS WITH MILD TO MODERATE ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSION

Abstract

SUMMARY This double‐blind, randomised, cross‐over study investigated the antihypertensive efficacy of ramipril and enalapril was completed by 30 patients with mild‐to‐moderate essential hypertension. After a four‐week placebo run‐in phase, the patients received either 2.5mg ramipril or 10mg enalapril once daily for four weeks. The dosages were increased to 5mg ramipril and 20mg enalapril for a further four weeks. After a placebo washout phase of four weeks, the patients were crossed over to the alternative treatment. The decrease in average 24‐hour ambulatory diastolic blood pressure from week 0 to week 8 was 1.6mmHg greater with ramipril than enalapril (90% confidence interval 0.6‐2.7mmHg). The corresponding reduction in for systolic blood pressure was also greater with ramipril than enalapril by 2.4mmHg (90% confidence interval: 0.5‐4.2mmHg). For the difference in the drop of 24‐hour ambulatory diastolic blood pressure between ramipril and enalapril the lower level of the 90% confidence interval (CI) is above the clinically relevant difference of ‐3mmHg. This is an indication that ramipril (2.5 and 5mg dose) is at least as effective as enalapril (10 and 20mg dose) in decreasing blood pressure in patients with mild‐to‐moderate essential hypertension. The duration of adequate antihypertensive effect was relatively long for both ramipril and enalapril; however, ramipril tended to have a more prolonged antihypertensive effect. Ramipril had a higher diastolic and systolic trough/peak ratio than enalapril, resulting in a more uniform antihypertensive effect over the 24‐hour treatment period. Both ramipril and enalapril were well tolerated and the two treatment groups had similar safety profiles.