Comparison of antihypertensive effect and safety of combination therapy with Hydrochlorothiazide and Losartan vs Hydrochlorothizide and Captopril

Objective: To compare the effect and safety of the combined therapy with hydrochloroth-iazide(HCT) and captopril or losartan in the treatment of hypertension. Method: The 72 newly diagnosed hypertensives or known hypertensives after washout period of 2 weeks, with a baseline diastolic pressure between 95-115mmHg and baseline systolic pressure below 180 mmHg, were assigned randomly and evenly into Group A and Group B. The patients of Group A received losartan 50mg and HCT 12.5 mg qd; the patients of Group B received captopril 50mg and HCT 25mg qd. Blood pressure was measured every week. The change in blood pressure on the end of week 4 (as compared with the baseline value) was considered as the efficacy index. Adverse reactions and the results of laboratory examinations were evaluated as indicis of safety. Results: The decrease in mean diastolic pressure and systolic pressure on week 4 in Group A and Group B did not differ significantly (P0.10). However, the drug related adverse reactions were significantly fewer in Group A than in Group B. (8.4% vs 16. 7%). Conclusion: The antihypertensive efficacy of combination of losartan and HCT is similar to that of the combination of captopril and HCT, however, the safety and tolerability of the former is better than the latter.