Choosing From the Four Ace’s of Hypertension
Saturday, March 13th, 2010
Sharon Bell asked:
If your doctor decides to start treating your hypertension with an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, which type are you most likely to benefit from?
While all of them work the same way, certain drugs have an edge over others. For instance, if you’re a man of few words but plenty of action, you might want an ACE inhibitor that does the same. Captopril fits that description.
Of the four ACE inhibitors in the market, captopril is the fastest acting. It works quickly to lower blood pressure so you can more or less tell in a jiffy if the drug is working for you.
But this effect doesn’t last long. The one disadvantage of captopril is that you may have to take more of this drug to achieve and maintain the desired effect, that is, a normal blood pressure.
In contrast, enalapril acts longer and is more potent. A single daily dose of this drug can control blood pressure over 24 hours.
This was proven by Dr. G. Germano and his colleagues from La Sapienza University in Rome who compared the effects of captopril and enalapril on male patients with mild hypertension. The results of the study were presented at a symposium on ACE inhibition held in Kyoto, Japan years ago.
The researchers found that high doses of captopril were needed to control the second daily peak in blood pressure which usually occurs in the late afternoon. These patients had to take a second dose of the drug to maintain low blood pressure at night. For those on enalapril, however, this afternoon peak was controlled with only one dose of the drug.
Just how potent is enalapril? This question was answered in the same symposium by the United Kingdom Enalapril Hospital Research Group. The group said that unlike other drugs, this particular ACE inhibitor does not lose its effect even after a year of use.
Their optimism comes from a year-long study of elderly patients who were treated with enalapril and another drug. Enalapril started to exert its beneficial effect on blood pressure after two weeks of use and continued doing so throughout the duration of the study - a period of one year.
As far as doctors are concerned, that’s one good example of consistency badly needed in other drugs whose effects tend to wear off with repeated use. (Next: Side effects of enalapril.)
Since obesity is a factor in hypertension, it pays to lose weight. To help you shed those unwanted pounds, take Zyroxin, a safe and natural supplement that will maximize your weight loss through its unique fat-burning ingredients. For details, visit http://www.zyroxin.com.
Insulated Vinyl Siding
If your doctor decides to start treating your hypertension with an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, which type are you most likely to benefit from?
While all of them work the same way, certain drugs have an edge over others. For instance, if you’re a man of few words but plenty of action, you might want an ACE inhibitor that does the same. Captopril fits that description.
Of the four ACE inhibitors in the market, captopril is the fastest acting. It works quickly to lower blood pressure so you can more or less tell in a jiffy if the drug is working for you.
But this effect doesn’t last long. The one disadvantage of captopril is that you may have to take more of this drug to achieve and maintain the desired effect, that is, a normal blood pressure.
In contrast, enalapril acts longer and is more potent. A single daily dose of this drug can control blood pressure over 24 hours.
This was proven by Dr. G. Germano and his colleagues from La Sapienza University in Rome who compared the effects of captopril and enalapril on male patients with mild hypertension. The results of the study were presented at a symposium on ACE inhibition held in Kyoto, Japan years ago.
The researchers found that high doses of captopril were needed to control the second daily peak in blood pressure which usually occurs in the late afternoon. These patients had to take a second dose of the drug to maintain low blood pressure at night. For those on enalapril, however, this afternoon peak was controlled with only one dose of the drug.
Just how potent is enalapril? This question was answered in the same symposium by the United Kingdom Enalapril Hospital Research Group. The group said that unlike other drugs, this particular ACE inhibitor does not lose its effect even after a year of use.
Their optimism comes from a year-long study of elderly patients who were treated with enalapril and another drug. Enalapril started to exert its beneficial effect on blood pressure after two weeks of use and continued doing so throughout the duration of the study - a period of one year.
As far as doctors are concerned, that’s one good example of consistency badly needed in other drugs whose effects tend to wear off with repeated use. (Next: Side effects of enalapril.)
Since obesity is a factor in hypertension, it pays to lose weight. To help you shed those unwanted pounds, take Zyroxin, a safe and natural supplement that will maximize your weight loss through its unique fat-burning ingredients. For details, visit http://www.zyroxin.com.
Insulated Vinyl Siding
