A double-blind comparison of the efficacy and tolerability of telmisartan 40-80 mg vs. losartan 50-100 mg in Taiwanese hypertensive patients.

A multicentre, randomised, double-blind, double-dummy, parallel-group, dose-titration study was conducted to determine the efficacy and tolerability of telmisartan 40-80 mg once daily compared with losartan 50-100 mg once daily in 180 Taiwanese patients with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension. After an initial 2-week placebo run-in phase, patients were randomised in a double-blind, double-dummy fashion to receive either telmisartan 40 mg or losartan 50 mg. If blood pressure control (diastolic blood pressure [DBP] <90 mmHg or > or = 10 mmHg reduction in DBP) was achieved after 4 weeks, the dose was maintained for the second 4 weeks of the active treatment phase; if not, the dose was doubled to telmisartan 80 mg or losartan 100 mg, respectively, for the second 4 weeks of double-blind treatment. Telmisartan 40-80 mg (n = 86) was as effective as losartan 50-100 mg (n = 90) in reducing trough seated DBP (11.1 vs. 8.7 mmHg, p = 0.144), and was significantly more effective than losartan in reducing trough seated systolic blood pressure (SBP) (22.1 vs. 16.5 mmHg, p = 0.032) and standing SBP (21.0 vs. 16.3 mmHg, p = 0.033). Significantly fewer patients treated with telmisartan than those treated with losartan required uptitration after 4 weeks' treatment (32.6% vs. 61.5%, p = 0.001). Both telmisartan and losartan were well tolerated.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes