Comparison of candesartan with lisinopril on ambulatory blood pressure and morning surge in patents with systemic hypertension

We performed a prospective crossover study in 73 essential hypertensives to compare the effects of candesartan and lisinopril on ambulatory blood pressure (BP) and early-morning BP. Twenty-four-hour ambulatory BP monitoring was performed at baseline and for each active treatment. Small doses of thiazide diuretic were added as needed. The effects of both drugs on 24-hour BP were almost identical and satisfactory. When we classified patients into the morning surge group (the highest quartile of morning systolic BP surge >36 mm Hg) and the non-morning surge group (the remaining 3 quartiles of morning BP surge), candesartan was superior in decreasing morning BP and morning BP surge. (C) 2003 by Excerpta Medica, Inc.