News - Hypertension Week of October 12, 2003/ Vol. 2 No. 41

Telmisartan as Effective as Lisinopril in Reducing Blood Pressure

The drug telmisartan is just as effective as lisinopril in reducing blood pressure and pulse pressure.

Lisinopril is an ACE inhibitor that is marketed in the United States under the brandnames of Prinivil and Zestril. Telmisartan, sold in the United States under the brandname of Micardis, is an angiotensin II receptor antagonist.

The researchers compared lisinopril with telmisartan in regard to their effect on blood pressure and pulse pressure and the duration and the consistency of their antihypertensive effect in a 24-hour period.

The study involved 32 untreated hypertensive patients who were given either telmisartan or lisinopril

No difference was detected between the two drugs in their effects either on blood pressure or on pulse pressure. The researchers also concluded that both drugs seem to provide smooth and sustained effects throughout a full 24-hour period.

Other sources: Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology 2003 Oct;42(4):491-6