Safety of valsartan in treatment for mild and middle hypertension

Objective To assess the efficacy and safety of valsartan treating mild and middle essential hypertension(EH).Methods Selected 132 patients with mild and middle EH at random,and were divided equally into two groups by way of parallel control:group Ⅰ given valsartan 80 mg once daily,and group Ⅱ given amlodipine 5 mg once daily.The patients whose blood pressure was still higher than 140/90 mm Hg at the end of 4-week treatment were given double dosage.The patients were not given other anti-hypertensive drugs in 8 week-observing durition.At the end of weeks 2,4,6 and 8 of the treatment,the patients′ sitting blood pressure was measured,and coition times,subjective symptoms and the drug side-effects were recorded.The laboratory examination was made before and after the experiment.Results Systolic pressure and diastolic pressure of patients in both groups significantly decreased at the end of weeks 2,4,6 and 8 in comparison with those before the treatment,and the changes were statistically significant(P0.01).The difference in blood pressure decrease between both groups showed no significance(P0.05).Eight weeks after the treatment,the rate up to the standard blood pressure of valsartan group was 89%,and of amlodipine group was 88%.There was no difference between the two groups.The incidence rate of drug side-effects was 8% in valsartan group and 6% in amlodipine group,and there was also no statistical difference between the two groups.The laboratory results at the end of the experiments presented no statistical difference except the change of blood potassium in valsartan group.The sexual function of all the patients in valsartan group got different degrees of improvements.Conclusion For patients with mild and middle EH,valsartan treatment is satisfactory,safe and reliable.