Captopril and common carotid blood flow in patients with essential hypertension--a review.

The haemodynamic pattern of the common carotid artery was studied before and after administration of captopril isosorbide dinitrate and nitrendipine, in men with sustained essential hypertension. Pulsed Doppler methods were used. Captopril produced both a fall in vascular resistance and an increase in the arterial diameter of the common carotid artery. Thus, in the common carotid artery circulation of patients with essential hypertension only captopril dilated both small and large arteries.