Blood pressure response to enalaprilic acid in essential hypertension: dose-response and effect of pre-treatment with furosemide.

Enalaprilic acid (MK 422), the active metabolite of enalapril, has recently become available for intravenous administration. In order to establish the proper dose for rapid blood pressure reduction, 9 patients with moderate to severe essential hypertension on a constant sodium intake of 100 mmol/24h were studied. They received four single doses of MK 422 according to an up-and-down titration schedule. Doses between 5 and 80 mg resulted in effective blood pressure reduction with an onset of action of about 10 minutes. Within this dose range the response was flat. No symptomatic hypotension was observed. The fall in blood pressure was less pronounced in patients with low initial plasma renin activity (PRA). Accordingly, a study was done to show whether the blood pressure response could be augmented by preceding stimulation of PRA by injection of 40 mg furosemide 15 minutes before the administration of MK 422. PRA increased after furosemide, but the blood pressure response to MK 422 was not augmented.