A comparison of the antihypertensive effectiveness of a combination of moexipril or sustained-release verapamil with low-dose hydrochlorothiazide.

The antihypertensive effectiveness of moexipril, a new angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, and sustained-release verapamil (verapamil SR) in combination with low-dose hydrochlorothiazide was investigated in patients with moderate to severe (Stages II and III) essential hypertension. Of 147 patients treated for 4 weeks with hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg/day, 108 patients with sitting diastolic blood pressure (SDBP) of 100 to 114 mmHg were randomly assigned to receive either moexipril 7.5 mg/day (n = 56) or verapamil SR 180 mg/day (n = 52) in addition to hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg/day. After 4 weeks of treatment, doses of moexipril or verapamil SR were increased to 15 and 240 mg/ day respectively for patients with SDBP of > or = 90 mmHg. These patients were evaluated for an additional 8 weeks. Electrocardiograms, blood chemistries, blood counts, urinalysis, plasma renin activity, and plasma aldosterone levels were monitored during the study. Moexipril or verapamil SR, in combination with low dose hydrochlorothiazide, resulted in decreased blood pressure in the sitting and standing positions. No correlation between blood pressure response and baseline plasma renin activity was demonstrated. The results of this study indicate that both moexipril and verapamil SR produced an additive hypertensive effect when added to low-dose hydrochlorothiazide. These combinations were well tolerated by the patients and did not result in serious clinical and metabolic side effects.