[Effect of candesartan cilexetil with hydrochlorothiazide on blood pressure and ST-segment depression in patients with arterial hypertension].

OBJECTIVE

To examine the effect of candesartan cilexetil with hydrochlorothiazide (6 mg and 12.5 mg, respectively) on blood pressure and ST-segment depression during daily life of patients with treated but not controlled arterial hypertension (blood pressure taken at doctor's practice (3)140/90 mmHg, despite being on at least two antihypertensive drugs)

PATIENTS AND METHODS

51 patients (45 men, 17 women) with treated but reportedly uncontrolled hypertension were placed on self-measurement of blood pressure for 4 weeks of a run-in period and 8 weeks as a follow-up period. Combined 24-hour automatic blood pressure measurement (ABPM) and electrocardiography were done at the end of the run-in and the follow-up periods. Ten patients proved to be normotensive according to the self-measurement and ABPM after the run-in period (group A), while 41 were still uncontrolled according to both methods (group B). In group B the least efficacious component of the antihypertensive medication was replaced by candesartan with hydrochlorothiazide (C + HCT) and any changes in blood pressure and ST-segment depression analysed after 8 weeks of follow-up in both groups.

RESULTS

In group A no significant blood pressure change was observed between run-in- and follow-up periods. But in group B (n=41) the self-measured systolic blood pressure had significantly decreased (155/84 mmHg compared with [vs] 147/81 mmHg; p<0.0073) as had the systolic 24-h ABPM (148/81 mmHg vs 137/753 mmHg; p<0.0015) after C + HCT had replaced the previous noneffective medication. After the run-in period 15 patients of group B had ST-segment depression (1 mm of horizontal or descending depression for at least 1 minute). In 16 other patients of group B and in all patients of group A no ST depressions were recorded. At the end of the follow-up period significant reduction of mean ischemic burden per patient (106 vs 72 minutes), of total ischemic events (228 vs 153) and of mean duration of ST depression (372 vs 210 seconds) had occurred.

CONCLUSIONS

Replacing candesartan + hydrochlorothiazide for previously ineffective antihypertensive drugs in patients with uncontrolled arterial hypertension significantly reduced both blood pressure and ST-segment depression during daily life.