Captopril once daily in patients with essential hypertension and hyperuricaemia

Captopril (Capoten; Squibb) 100 mg was given as once-daily monotherapy in 20 patients with hypertension and hyperuricaemia. Ten patients (group A) maintained a low-sodium diet (60-100 mmol/d) throughout the study and 10 (group B) continued their usual high-sodium (200-300 mmol/d) diet. After 4 weeks of active treatment supine blood pressure in group A decreased from 192 +/- 5/119 +/- 3 mmHg to 144 +/- 3/95 +/- 3 mmHg (P less than 0,001), whereas pressures in group B varied between 168 +/- 5/115 +/- 3 mmHg and 160 +/- 6/113 +/- 4 mmHg (not significant). Serum urate values fell from 0,46 +/- 0,02 mmol/l to 0,35 +/- 0,02 mmol/l (P less than 0,001) and 0,53 +/- 0,02 mmol/l to 0,46 +/- 0,03 mmol/l (P less than 0,05) in the same groups. Captopril exerted an antihypertensive effect in patients receiving a low-sodium diet, suggesting a relationship with angiotensin II and/or aldosterone; effects on serum urate levels appeared to be independent of diet.