The effect of captopril and metoprolol as monotherapy or combined with bendroflumethiazide on blood lipids

Abstract

In a 24-week randomized multicentre single-blind study, including mild to moderate hypertensives free from other diseases, the effect on blood lipids of captopril (n = 51) was studied and compared with that of metoprolol (n = 53). In order to keep the diastolic pressure less than 95 mm Hg, bendroflumethiazide was added to the medication for 11 patients in the captopril group and 11 patients in the metoprolol group. Neither captopril nor metoprolol altered total cholesterol significantly. Captopril as monotherapy increased HDL-cholesterol by 6.2% (P less than 0.01) and decreased triglycerides by 10.6% (P less than 0.05). Metoprolol as monotherapy decreased HDL-cholesterol by 5.6% (P less than 0.01) and increased triglycerides by 10.3% (P less than 0.05). When bendroflumethiazide was added the favourable effect of captopril on the blood lipids disappeared while the undesirable effect of metoprolol became more pronounced.