ABSTRACT
This study was carried out to assess whether with a similar degree of blood pressure reduction, Lisinopril compares favorably or otherwise with lacidipine in respect of effects on urinary albumin excretion and renal function as assessed by creatinine clearance, plasma creatinine, urea and electrolytes. Thirty hypertensive diabetic nephropathy patients with moderate hypertension were studied. After a 2-week washout period, they were allocated into two groups matched at baseline for age, sex, weight, blood pressure, and urinary albumin excretion rate as well as creatinine clearance. There were 8 males and 7 females in each group. One group received lisinopril (with furosemide if needed to control BP) and the other group received lacidipine. Staged increases in doses of antihypertensives were used until BP was controlled or maximum dose of 40 mg/day lisinopril or 8 mg/day lacidipine was reached. Furosemide was added to lisinopril if BP was not controlled at 40 mg/day. These medications were given for 12 weeks at the end of which measurements done at baseline were repeated. Comparison of baseline and end of study values of these parameters within the groups and between the two groups were made. Lisinopril group and lacidipine group achieved similar and highly significant reduction in blood pressure levels P < 0.001. There was reduction in urinary albumin excretion rate in both groups but this only reached statistical significance in the lisinopril group [480] [269] mg/day vs. 315 [202] mg/day P < 0.05] while for the lacidipine group it was not significant [491] [257] mg/day vs. 335 [182] mg/day P > 0.05]. However, comparison of albumin excretion rate between both groups at baseline and at end of the study did not show any significant difference, P > 0.1. With both drugs there is a tendency for creatinine clearance to increase and plasma creatinine to drop while plasma potassium tended to rise more with lisinopril than lacidipine but differences within and between both groups, did not reach statistical significance P > 0.05. In conclusion, blood pressure reduction was comparable in both drugs; both drugs reduced albuminuria but lisinopril appeared superior. Treatment with both drugs tended to increase creatinine clearance but both had no significant effects on blood sugar.
