Antihypertensive Efficacy of Amlodipine and Losartan after Two ‘Missed’ Doses in Patients with Mild to Moderate Essential Hypertension

• Published in: Journal of international medical research 2007-11, Vol.35 (6), p.762-772
• Main Authors: Ribeiro, AB, Mion, D, Marin, MJ, Majul, C, Botero, R, López, NR, Gonzalez, S, Izurieta, H, Francischetti, EA
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Amlodipine - therapeutic use; Antihypertensive Agents - therapeutic use; Blood Pressure - physiology; Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; Double-Blind Method; Female; Humans; Hypertension - drug therapy; Losartan - therapeutic use; Male; Middle Aged; Placebos; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0300-0605; 1473-2300
• DOI: 10.1177/147323000703500604

We compared the effects of amlodipine (5 − 10 mg, n = 94) and losartan (50 − 100 mg, n = 94) on the lowering of blood pressure (BP) at steady state and after two missed doses, as well as on tolerability. This was a randomized, double-blind study of 12 weeks of active treatment followed by 2 days of placebo treatment. Twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and office BP measurements were performed at baseline, week 12 and after the 2-day drug holiday. After 12 weeks, amlodipine was significantly more effective than losartan in reducing both 24-h systolic blood pressure (SBP) (−18.0 versus −10.8 mmHg) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (−10.6 versus −8.0 mmHg). While mean SBP and DBP for both treatments increased comparably during the drug holiday, BP values remained significantly lower than baseline for both treatments. The superior BP-lowering effect of amlodipine compared with losartan was maintained during the drug holiday.