Valsartan, a new angiotensin II antagonist; blood pressure reduction in essential hypertension compared with an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, enalapril

OBJECTIVE: To compare the blood pressure reduction induced by valsartan, a new angiotensin II receptor antagonist, with that induced by enalapril, an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor in essential hypertension. METHODS: In total 189 adult outpatients with uncomplicated essential hypertension participated in this double-blind study. Patients were allocated randomly in equal numbers to be administered 80 mg valsartan or 20 mg enalapril daily for 12 weeks. Patients whose blood pressure had not been controlled adequately despite 8 weeks of monotherapy were administered additional therapy with 12.5 mg hydroclorothiazide (HCTZ) daily thereafter. Patients were assessed aftger 4, 8 and 12 weeks of therapy. The primary efficacy variable was the change from baseline in mean sitting diastolic blood pressure (SDBP) after 8 weeks of therapy. Other variables analyzed included the change in sitting systolic blood pressure and percentage responses after 8 weeks of therapy. RESULTS: Valsartan and enalapril were both effective at lowering the blood pressure. Similar falls were induced in the two groups with a similar time course of blood pressure reduction. The mean decreases in SDBP after 8 weeks of therapy were 13.2 mmHg for valsartan and 12.0 mmHg for enalapril. There was no significant difference between the treatments P = 0.475, 95% confidence interval of the estimated difference (SBP after therapy - SDBP before therapy) -3.5 to 1.6 mmHg]. After 8 weeks of therapy 60.6% had responded to valsartan and 52.6% to enalapril (P = 0.267). Both treatments were tolerated well. Three patients administered enalapril and one patient administered valsartan discontinued their treatment because it made them cough. CONCLUSION: The data show that 80 mg valsartan is as effective as 20 mg enalapril in the treatment of moderate hypertension and that it is tolerated well.