Lisinopril versus hydrochlorothiazide in mild-to-moderate systolic/diastolic or isolated systolic hypertension in the elderly

Abstract This double-blind, randomized, multicenter study was designed to compare the efficacy and tolerability of lisinopril and hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) in elderly patients (≥65 years old) with either mild-to-moderate systolic/diastolic hypertension (SDBP ≥ 95 ≤ 120 mmHg) or isolated systolic hypertension (SSBP > 160 mmHg, SDBP P ≤ 0.01) in both treatment groups. Both drugs were generally well tolerated; however, patients treated with HCTZ experienced more adverse effects. Moreover, mean serum potassium levels decreased significantly in the HCTZ group. No serious adverse events were reported in either group. Lisinopril has been shown to be an effective, well-tolerated angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor in elderly patients.