Combination therapy with felodipine and metoprolol compared with captopril and hydrochlorothiazide. German MC Study Group.

This study compared the antihypertensive efficacy and tolerability of a combination tablet containing the vascular-selective calcium antagonist felodipine and the beta1-selective adrenergic antagonist metoprolol, with a combination tablet of captopril-hydrochlorothiazide in a randomized, double-blind trial involving 109 patients with mild to moderate hypertension. After 2 weeks on placebo, patients with a supine diastolic blood pressure of 95-115 mm Hg were randomized to felodipine-metoprolol, 5/50 mg o.d. (Logimax) or captopril-hydrochlorothiazide, 25/25 mg o.d. (Capozide). After a further 4 weeks, there was a mandatory dose increase to felodipine-metoprolol 10/100 mg o.d., and captopril-hydrochlorothiazide, 50/25 mg o.d., and treatment then continued for a another 4 weeks. At the end of the study, felodipine-metoprolol reduced supine blood pressure significantly more than captopril-hydrochlorothiazide. The mean differences in change in supine systolic and diastolic blood pressure between treatments after 8 weeks were 5.2 and 3.4 mm Hg, respectively, in favour of felodipine-metoprolol (p<0.05). Standing blood pressure also showed trends in favour of felodipine-metoprolol. The proportion of responders was similar in both groups. Both treatments were well tolerated. Two patients treated with felodipine-metoprolol and 5 with captopril-hydrochlorothiazide discontinued treatment due to adverse events. Felodipine-metoprolol combination reduced supine blood pressure significantly more than captopril-hydrochlorothiazide with maintained tolerability.