¹Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, Clinica Medica II, IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy

Correspondence: Dr R Fogari, Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, Clinica Medica II, IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo, University of Pavia, Piazzale Golgi 19, 27100 Pavia, Italy. E-mail: r.fogari@smatteo.pv.it

Received 21 July 2005; Revised 27 September 2005; Accepted 1 October 2005; Published online 24 November 2005.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of telmisartan/hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) vs lisinopril/HCTZ combination on ambulatory blood pressure and cognitive function in elderly hypertensive patients. A total of 160 patients, 76 men and 84 women, aged 61–75 years, with sitting diastolic blood pressure (DBP) >90 mmHg and <110 mmHg and systolic blood pressure (SBP) >140 mmHg were randomized to receive temisartan 80 mg/HCTZ 12.5 mg o.d. or lisinopril 20 mg/HCTZ 12.5 mg o.d. for 24 weeks, according to a prospective, open-label, blinded end point, parallel-group design. At the end of a 2-week wash-out period and after 12 and 24 weeks of active treatment, 24-h noninvasive ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) was performed and cognitive function was evaluated through six different tests (verbal fluency, Boston naming test, word-list memory, word-list recall, word-list recognition and Trails B). Both treatments significantly reduced ambulatory BP. However, the telmisartan/HCTZ combination produced a greater reduction in 24-h, day-time and night time ABPM values. Lisinopril/HCTZ did not induce significant changes in any of the cognitive function test scores at any time of the study, whereas at both 12 and 24 weeks telmisartan/HCTZ significantly improved the word-list memory score (+17.1 and +15.7%, respectively, P<0.05 vs baseline), the word-list recall score (+13.5 and +16.9%, P<0.05) and the Trails B score (-33 and -30.5%, P<0.05). These results suggest that in elderly hypertensive patients treatment with telmisartan/HCTZ produces a slightly greater reduction in ambulatory BP than lisinopril/HCTZ combination and, unlike this latter, improves some of the components of cognitive function, particularly episodic memory and visuospatial abilities.