Assessment of the antihypertensive effect of lisinopril using 24-hour ambulatory monitoring.

The effect of lisinopril 20 mg given once daily was assessed in 25 patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension using both ambulatory monitoring and cuff measurements of blood pressure (BP) made in the clinic. The effect of 4 weeks of lisinopril treatment on BP was compared with the BP recorded after 2 weeks on placebo. Lisinopril treatment reduced supine and standing cuff clinic measurements of BP 24 h after dosing by (systolic/diastolic) 21.1/11.8 and 16.7/10.1 mmHg, respectively. Ambulatory measurements indicated that the antihypertensive effect of lisinopril was sustained throughout the 24 h without any significant effect on heart rate and that lisinopril did not affect the diurnal rhythm of BP changes. Side effects reported during the 4 weeks of lisinopril treatment were mild and did not necessitate discontinuation of treatment. Lisinopril appears to be an effective and well-tolerated antihypertensive agent when given in a single daily dose.