Antihypertensive and renal effects of lisinopril in older patients with hypertension.

The antihypertensive efficacy and safety of lisinopril were assessed in 60 older patients with a mean age of 75 years (range, 65 to 85 years) in a 12-week open study. Mean ( +/- SEM) blood pressure while sitting was reduced from 190/106 +/- 3.3/1.8 mm Hg at entry to 162/89 +/- 3.2/1.6 mm Hg after 12 weeks of treatment (p less than 0.001). There was no significant alteration in heart rate, and postural hypotension did not occur. Mean glomerular filtration rate at entry was 61.6 +/- 3.4 ml/minute and was unchanged after 12 weeks of therapy at 62.2 +/- 3.0 ml/minute. Fourteen patients continued to receive lisinopril for a period of one year. Blood pressure remained controlled throughout and heart rate remained unchanged. There was a significant reduction in mean arterial pressure from 128.8 +/- 1.9 mm Hg to 105.1 +/- 1.5 mm Hg (p less than 0.001). Biochemical parameters remained unaltered. There was a significant increase in renal blood flow (p less than 0.025) and a corresponding reduction in renovascular resistance (p less than 0.001) following long-term therapy with lisinopril. Thus, lisinopril was generally well-tolerated and highly effective in lowering blood pressure in older hypertensive patients, whereas at the same time renal function was not adversely changed.