The effect duration of candesartan cilexetil once daily, in comparison with enalapril once daily, in patients with mild to moderate hypertension.

Objective: To determine the antihypertensive efficacy, effect duration and safety of the angiotensin II type1 receptor blocker candesartan cilexetil and the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor enalapril once daily in patients with mild to moderate hypertension. Methods: A multicenter, randomised, double-blind parallel group study was performed in Finland, France, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden. Three-hundred-and-ninety-five men and women in the age range 20-80 years with primary hypertension were randomised to an 8-week double-blind treatment period with either candesartan cilexetil 8-16 mg or enalapril 10-20 mg once daily, with forced dose titration after 4 weeks. Non-invasive ambulatory blood pressure was measured for 36 h at baseline and after 8 weeks. The primary efficacy variable was the change in mean diastolic and systolic ambulatory blood pressure 22-24 h post-dose. Results: There was a significant difference in the adjusted mean difference for the change from baseline to week 8 between can...