Effects of captopril and ticlopidine, alone or in combination, in hypertensive patients with intermittent claudication

Twenty four male hypertensive patients suffering also from peripheral obstructive arterial disease were randomly subdivided in two groups and after a period of farmacological wash-out of one month Group I was treated with Captopril (C 50 mg bid) or Ticlopidine (T 250 mg bid) for three months and then with the association C plus T for three months again. After placebo administration for one month, patients were further treated with C plus T at low doses (25 mg bid and respectively 250 mg daily). In the first part of the study, patients of Group II received an inverse sequence of the drugs (before Ticlopidine 250 mg bid and then Captopril 50 bid). In both groups of patients C induced a significant decrease of blood pressure and an increase of PFWD, TWD, and WI. T did not modify blood pressure but slightly increased PFWD, TWD, and WI. The improvement was more evident during administration of C plus T, whereas placebo administration induced a trend toward baseline values. Finally, the chronic administration of C plus T for twelve months induced a further improvement of all considered parameters. In conclusion, chronic administration of C plus T may be useful in the treatment of hypertensive patients suffering from intermittent claudication, improving significantly PFWD and TWD.