Antihypertensive efficacy of zofenopril and hydrochlorothiazide combination on ambulatory blood pressure

Objective. The effects of a 12‐week double‐blind randomized treatment with zofenopril (Z) 15, 30 or 60 mg or hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) 12.5 or 25 mg, on trough office (n = 353) and 24‐h blood pressure (BP, n = 245) were compared with that of their combinations in essential hypertensive patients (95⩽diastolic or DBP⩽110 mmHg, 18–75 years). Design and methods. Rate of normalized (office DBP<90 mmHg) or responder (reduction⩾10 mmHg if office DBP⩾90 mmHg) patients, 24‐h BP changes vs baseline and the smoothness index were calculated at the end of treatment. Results. Efficacy of Z+HCTZ was greater than that of individual treatments, with best results achieved under Z30+HCTZ12.5 mg (normalized: 57%; normalized+responder: 80%; 24‐h BP changes: 9±1/11±2 mmHg; smoothness index: 1.6±0.3/1.8±0.4) or Z60+HCTZ12.5 mg (normalized: 79%; normalized+responder: 93%; 24‐h BP changes: 9±2/13±2 mmHg; smoothness index: 1.9±0.4/2.5±0.7). Conclusions. Z+HCTZ combination is more effective than monotherapy in yielding a homogeneous BP control over the 24 h.