Ketanserin and captopril interaction in the treatment of essential hypertensives.

The aim of the study was to evaluate whether the combination of ketanserin with captopril exerts an additive antihypertensive effect, as compared with single drug treatment. Twelve patients with uncomplicated moderate essential hypertension received, according to a randomized, double-blind, crossover design, ketanserin (40 mg twice daily), captopril (50 mg twice daily), the combination of the two drugs at these dosages, and the corresponding placebo, each treatment being given for 1 month. Both ketanserin and captopril as monotherapy similarly and significantly reduced blood pressure as compared with placebo (p less than 0.001). The combination treatment of ketanserin plus captopril further and significantly reduced blood pressure when compared with single drug treatment (p less than 0.001). Moreover, the percentage of responders and patients whose blood pressure was normalized were significantly greater under the combined treatment than under ketanserin or captopril monotherapy (p less than 0.001). These data indicate that the combination of ketanserin plus captopril exerts a clear additive antihypertensive effect when compared with each treatment as monotherapy, a finding that suggests this combination can be usefully employed in the treatment of hypertensive patients.

[Blood pressure during exercise stress in young normal subjects with familial hypertension (author's transl)]. / Risposta pressoria allo sforzo di giovani normali con familiarita' ipertensiva.

The behaviour of Arterial Blood Pressure was evaluated, by treadmill stress testing, in a group of young subjects (15-30 years old) with one or two hypertensive siblings. The best fit of the interpolating slope function was used in interpretating the findings of haemodynamic data (A.B.P. during exercise). These data were analyzed in the same way in three control groups: normal subjects 15-30 years old; hypertensive patients aged 30-45; normal subjects aged 30-45. We compared function's coefficients and parameters in these selected groups. The results show no different response in the A.B.P during stress between the normal subject and the group, same aged, with hypertensive siblings. Significative differences in the function's coefficients, were found in the control hypertensive patients. The stress testing doesn't seem recommending in subjects at risk because of parenteral hypertension: no early alteration in A.B.P. seems to be unmasked during exercise stress. The males of the control normal subject show higher blood pressure exercise value than females. This different response is not present in the group with parenteral hypertension: a more strick familial resemblance in A.B.P. is suggested in female population.