Effect of Losartan K and Benazepril HCL on blood pressure in elderly patients with hypertension

Objective: To Compare the efficacy and safety of losartan K and benazepril HCL on blood pressure in elderly patients with hypertension. Methods: Seventy elderly patients whose average age was 72. 11 ± 6.17. with mild to moderate hypertension were allocated randomly in double-blind fashion to receive 50mg losartan K or 10mg benazepril HCL for 24 weeks. The efficacy of drugs were assessed by 24-hour non-invasive ambulatory blood pressure monitoring method. Results: Sixty-two subjects finished the 24 weeks clinical follow-up. Both losartan K and benazepril HCL were effective at lowering blood pressure. Similar decreases were observed in both groups, with no statistically significant differences between the groups. Compared to baseline, the total average systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased by 9. 05mmHg and 4. 89mmHg in the losartan K and by 7.19 mmHg and 2. 00mmHg in the benazepril HCL groups. Responder rates at 24 weeks were 51.43% for losartan K and 51.85% for benazepril HCL. The incidence of drug-related dependent cough was lower in the losartan K group (2. 86% for Losartan K; 25. 93% for benazepril HCL). There was no fatal events reported. Conclusions: The data show that losartan K is at least as effective as benazepril HCL in the treatment of mild to moderate hypertension. THe results also show losartan K to be well tolerated and suggest that it is not associated with side effects characteristic of this comparator class, angiotensin-converting enzyme.