eprosartan and Overweight

The aim of this study was to compare the effect of telmisartan and eprosartan on insulin sensitivity in overweight hypertensive patients. Fifty overweight (BMI > or = 25 and <30 kg/m (2)) outpatients, aged 41-65 years, with mild to moderate hypertension [systolic blood pressure (SBP) >140 and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) > or = 90 and < or = 110 mmHg], after a 4-week placebo period, were randomized to receive telmisartan 80 mg or eprosartan 600 mg for 8 weeks. Following another 4-week placebo period, patients were crossed to the alternative regimen for further 8 weeks. At the end of each placebo and active treatment period, blood pressure (BP), insulin sensitivity (by euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), insulin (FPI), total cholesterol (TC), LDL-C, HDL-C, and triglycerides (Tg) were evaluated. Insulin sensitivity was expressed as the amount of glucose infused during the last 30 min (glucose infusion rate, GIR) in micromol/min/kg. Both telmisartan and eprosartan significantly reduced SBP/DBP values (by a mean of 19.4/13.3 mmHg and 17.9/12.1 mmHg respectively, all p<0.001 vs. placebo), with no significant difference between the two treatments. GIR was significantly increased by telmisartan (2.25+/-0.61 micromol/min/kg, p<0.05 vs. placebo) but not by eprosartan (0.25+/-0.14 micromol/min/kg, p=ns), the difference between the two drugs being statistically significant (p<0.02). No change in FPG, FPI, HDL-C, and Tg was observed with either treatment. Telmisartan significantly reduced TC (-9.9 mg/dl, -5%, p<0.04 vs. placebo) and LDL-C (-8.8 mg/dl, -7%, p<0.03 vs. placebo), whereas eprosartan did not influence them. These findings indicate a superiority regarding an improvement of insulin sensitivity and plasma lipid profile in overweight hypertensives by telmisartan as compared to eprosartan, possibly related to the selective stimulating PPAR-gamma property of telmisartan.

Topics: Acrylates; Adult; Aged; Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers; Benzimidazoles; Benzoates; Blood Glucose; Female; Humans; Hypertension; Imidazoles; Insulin; Male; Middle Aged; Overweight; Telmisartan; Thiophenes