THE PREDICTIVE VALUE OF CAPTOPRIL TEST IN PATIENTS WITH ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSION

The purpose of this study was to compare the predictive value of the captopril test Thirty patients who remained hypertensive with mild or moderate hypertension after 2-3 weeks of low sodium diet were underwent to the captopril test. Then patients were given 10 mg/day fosinopril. Positive result of the captopril test was seen in 21(70%) patients. In this subgroup, 20(95.2%) patients revealed normal blood pressure and only one (4.8%) patient remained hypertensive. Seven (77.7%) patients from the test negative subgroup, respond to the chronic fosinopril therapy and only two (22.3%) patients remained hypertensive. Consequently, 27(90%) patients were normotensive and only three (10%) patients remained hypertensive. The predictive power of the captopril test was estimated to be 22.3% in the negative subgroup and 95% in the positive subgroup.

Consequently, any effect of the captopril test upon the therapy was not found (^=2.134, p=0.207). In conclusion, in mild and moderate hypertensive patients, if dietery sodium restriction fails to normalize the blood pressure, ACE-inhibitors can be started without paying any attention to the captopril test results