An open comparative clinical trial to assess the efficacy and safety of losartan versus enalapril in mild to moderate hypertension.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the efficacy and safety of losartan with enalapril, in mild to moderate hypertension. METHODS: An open, enalapril controlled study was conducted in 30 patients with mild to moderate hypertension. Losartan 50 mg was administered to patients for eights weeks. Throughout the study blood pressure was measured every two weeks. Routine laboratory investigations were performed before entering the trial, fourth week and at the end of the study. Adverse effects were recorded. After eight weeks losartan was stopped and enalapril 10 mg daily was administered to the same patients after two weeks washout period. The same methodology that was followed for losartan trial was repeated for enalapril trial also. RESULTS: Losartan treatment resulted in a highly significant reduction in the mean sitting diastolic blood pressure. Comparison with enalapril showed that both drugs are equally efficacious in reducing blood pressure in mild to moderate hypertension. The percentage of responders was slightly more with losartan than enalapril (86.7% vs 76.7%). Adverse events reported with losartan were mild. Enalapril also was well tolerated like losartan but there was high incidence of dry cough, which was reported in nine patients (30%). CONCLUSIONS: Losartan is an effective antihypertensive drug with an excellent safety and tolerability profile. It shows similar blood pressure lowering efficacy to that of enalapril. In contrast to enalapril, losartan does not cause dry cough.