[Pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and clinical effectiveness of captopril in patients with hypertension]

Captopril was tested for pharmacokinetics. Its hypotensive effect was compared with plasma renin activity (PRA) and blood captopril levels in single and prolonged administrations of its various doses in 58 hypertensive patients. When a single dose (25 mg) of captopril was given, a relationship was found between its hypotensive effect and higher blood concentration, baseline PRA. The detection rate of its antihypertensive effect was not related to the baseline PRA. The efficient and safe dose of captopril was shown to be 75-150 mg daily, maintaining its blood concentration within ranges of 75-175 ng/ml.