Long-term control of blood pressure by rilmenidine in high-risk populations.

Efficacy and acceptability of rilmenidine in populations with high cardiovascular risk has been established in short- or mid-term studies (1.5-6 months) enrolling relatively small numbers of patients. The present open study was undertaken to compare, on a larger scale, the efficacy and acceptability of a 12-month rilmenidine treatment in high-risk outpatients versus the results obtained in the general population and to check for unexpected adverse events.

Effects of captopril and nitrendipine on the response to acute volume expansion in essential hypertension.

The systemic and renal responses to normal volume expansion (1800 ml isotonic saline infused over 3 h) were assessed in 23 patients with essential hypertension after 4-7 days' administration of a placebo or the calcium antagonist nitrendipine (20 mg three times a day) or the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor captopril (50 pressure mg three times a day). Each drug treatment was associated with a fall in blood pressure of the same magnitude. Treatment with captopril was associated with a significant volume dependence of blood pressure and a blunting of the exaggerated natriuresis of hypertension (71 +/- 16 on placebo and 47 +/- 12 mmol/3 h on captopril; P less than 0.