Therapeutic Progress–review Xxix Is There a Role for Low-Dose Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors in the Treatment of Mild to Moderate Hypertension?

Quinapril: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial in Essential Hypertension

“…Like enalapril, quinapril is a second-generation ACE inhibitor that, in contrast to captopril, does not contain a sulfhydryl group.8-10 The structural difference may result in effective ACE inhibition in humans without the undesirable side effects exhibited by captopril. 11,12 In vivo, quinapril has been shown to be similar to enalapril in potency and duration of effect and similar in potency and longer in duration of effect than captopril in terms of inhibiting the angiotensin I pressor response. 11,14 In animals, quinapril was more potent and had a longer response duration than captopril and failed to produce any side effects or gross toxicity over a wide range of doses.…”

Captopril and Hydrochlorothiazide—a Safe Antihypertensive for Use in General Practice?

“…In the past they acquired a reputation for causing adverse effects particularly leucopoenia, proteinuria and taste disturbances (13). However, many of these adverse effects were probably attributable to the use of relatively large doses of captopril, being given to patients with severe hypertension, who frequently had other coexisting disorders (14). In mild to moderate hypertensives captopril has been shown to be relatively well tolerated (14), but ACE I can cause cough in a proportion of patients (1 5 ) and may cause a relatively marked fall in blood pressure after the first dose is given.…”