The antihypertensive effect and safety of lisinopril in patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension. A Belgian multicenter study

The safety and efficacy of lisinopril in the treatment of mild to moderate essential hypertension was evaluated by Belgian general practitioners in patients whose hypertensive condition remained uncontrolled by previous treatment and/or in whom the prior drug regimen was not tolerated. In this 8-week study, 3060 eligible patients were initially treated with 20 mg lisinopril once daily; this dose was increased to 40 mg if diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was greater than 90 mm Hg after 4 weeks. Lisinopril monotherapy in the 1902 patients completing the trial resulted in marked reductions of systolic (SBP) and DBP from 172.5/102.4 mm Hg at baseline to 147.4/86.6 mm Hg by week 8. More than 90% of patients achieved a DBP less than 95 mm Hg. The decrease in blood pressure was similar in patients older and younger than 65 year of age. Only about 20% of patients required an increase in their daily intake of lisinopril to 40 mg. Treatment was well tolerated and the profile of adverse events was similar to the pattern found with other nonsulfydryl angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors. Tolerance in the elderly was similar to that experience by hypertensives under 65 years of age. Thus, lisinopril at 20 or 40 mg once daily proved both well tolerated and effective in reducing blood pressure in patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension.