doi: 10.1161/hy0901.095926
(Hypertension. 2001;38:1480.)
© 2001 American Heart Association, Inc.
Hypertension Electronic Pages |
Hypertension Online Only
December 2001
The Scientific Publishing Committee has approved Hypertension to receive a limited number of electronic pages. These electronic pages will be used to help increase the number of referenceable pages for the journal by allowing us to publish Editorials, Letters to the Editors and their respective responses, Scientific Contributions, and other materials online. Thus, Hypertension Online material will be indexed in Index Medicus, MEDLINE, and PubMed. Each online item will also be featured in the Table of Contents on the cover, denoted by a green star, as well as in the Table of Contents within the journal, denoted by the letter e in front of the page number. Hypertension is available online at http://www.hypertensionaha.org
In Memoriam
(Hypertension. 2001;38:e27.)
Comparative Effects of Ramipril on Ambulatory and Office Blood Pressures
A HOPE Substudy
Per Svensson
Ulf de Faire
Peter Sleight
Salim Yusuf
Jan Östergren
Abstract—
In the HOPE-trial, the ACE inhibitor ramipril significantly reduced cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients at high risk for cardiovascular events. The benefit could only partly be attributed to the modest mean reduction of office blood pressure (OBP) during the study period (3/2 mm Hg). However, because according to the HOPE protocol ramipril was given once daily at bedtime and blood pressure was measured during the day, the 24-hour reduction of blood pressure may be underestimated based on OBP. Thirty-eight patients with peripheral arterial disease enrolled in the HOPE study underwent 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) measurement before randomization and after 1 year. OBP was measured in the sitting position immediately before fitting the ABP measuring equipment to the patients. Ramipril did not significantly reduce OBP (8/2 mm Hg, P=NS) or day ABP (6/2 mm Hg, P=NS) after 1 year. Twenty-four-hour ABP was significantly reduced (10/4 mm Hg, P=0.03), mainly because of a more pronounced blood pressure lowering effect during nighttime (17/8 mm Hg, P<0.001). The night/day ratio was also significantly lowered in the ramipril group. ABP shows greater falls, especially at night, than OBP during treatment with ramipril given once daily at bedtime. Although, OBP is the correct comparator when comparing with previous large intervention trials and epidemiological studies, the effects on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality seen with ramipril in the HOPE study may, to a larger extent than previously ascribed, relate to effects on blood pressure patterns over the 24-hour period. (Hypertension. 2001;38:e28–e32.)
Book Reviews
(Hypertension. 2001;38:e33-e34.)
Letters to the Editor
(Hypertension. 2001;38:e35-e38.)
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