18 THERAPY

Enalapril + verapamil combinationtreats hypertension

Combination therapy with enalapril plus verapamilmay have synergistic effects in patients with mild-to­moderate hypertension, according to university andLederle Laboratories researchers in the US. Theyconsider that this combination may prove to be avaluable alternative to higher dose monotherapy forhypertension.

The efficacy and safety of 4 weeks' treatment withonce-daily verapamil120 or 240mg combined withenalapril 10mg, or either agent given alone, wereevaluated in a multicentre, double-blind, placebo­controlled trial involving 186 men and womenwith essential hypertension (mean diastolic BP95-114mm Hg).

The magnitude of the antihypertensive effect of thecombination regimens was significantly greater thanthat of either drug given alone, without any increasein adverse effects, say the researchers. The greatestreduction in systolic BP was recorded in the verapamil240mg + enalaprillOmg treatment group [see table] .

All active drug regimens in this study weresignificantly superior to placebo in lowering BP, withthe exception of verapamil 120mg monotherapy.Levine JH, Ferdinand KC, Cargo P, Laine H, Lefkowitz M, et al, Additive effectsof verapamil and enalapril in the treatment of mild to moderate hypertension.American Journal of Hypertension 8: 494-499 , Pan I, May 1995 8003"""

24 Jun 1995 INPHARMA" 0156-2703l9510992-000181$01 .00C Adislnternatlonal Limited 1995. All rights reserved