| Abstract: | The effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on the blood pressure and renal function of essential hypertensive patients depend on the specific type of NSAID and antihypertensive drug administered. Twelve patients with essential hypertension, aged 35 to 59 years, stabilized (blood pressure less than 140/90 mmHg) with captopril, received ketoprofen (100 mg bid for 7 days) or matching placebo in a randomized double-blind cross-over fashion. A 3-week wash-out period was included between treatment periods. Blood pressure on the first and last days of the placebo treatment period (137± 7(SD)/80±8 and 139±11/81±9 mmHg) was similar to respective values during ketoprofen therapy (136±10/79±7 and 143 ± 10/81 ± 9 mmHg). The mean differences in systolic and diastolic blood pressures, at the end of the treatment periods, between ketoprofen and placebo were 4(95% confidence intervals -5, +13) and 0(-8, +8) mmHg, respectively. Ketoprofen had no effect on 24-h urinary sodium excretion (160 ± 33 and 147 ± 39 mmol/24 h for ketoprofen and placebo, respectively). Ketoprofen was without effect on glomerular filtration rate, renal plasma flow and filtration fraction. In conclusion, our data suggest that ketoprofen is a safe choice when short-term treatment with a NSAID is indicated in an essential hypertensive patient treated with a converting enzyme inhibitor such as captopril. |
