[Tolerance to Triatec in monotherapy and in combination with Lasilix in a French multicenter study]

In a multicenter study in general practice, the tolerability and safety of ramipril alone and in combination with a low dose of furosemide were assessed in moderate hypertension. After a placebo run-in period involving 770 patients, 661 were included in the active treatment period and received ramipril alone (2.5-5 mg/day). After 6 weeks, the nonresponders entered in a double-blind period and they received daily ramipril 10 mg or ramipril 5 mg in combination with furosemide 20 mg. In this hypertensive population, the adverse events more commonly reported were headache, cough, dizziness, asthenia, cramps diarrhea and nausea, but not all these events were related to ramipril. There was seemingly a relation between cough prevalence and rampiril dosage; an increased incidence was also observed during the outbreaks of flu-syndrome in our country. 38 patients discontinued the active treatment due to non-serious adverse events, mainly cough, dizziness or diarrhea. No serious adverse drug reaction was observed. Laboratory data (blood cells count, electrolytes, serum creatinine, fasting blood glucose, apolipoproteins AI and B) remained most commonly unaffected. In moderate hypertension in general practice, this study confirms that ramipril is well tolerated, especially with regard to the class effects of the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors.