A STUDY OF SERUM POTASSIUM LEVEL IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS TREATED WITH RAMIPRIL VS TELMISARTAN

Gian Chand; Rabinder Kumar; Pritam Singh Sandhu

Volume : VI, Issue : I, January - 2017

A STUDY OF SERUM POTASSIUM LEVEL IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS TREATED WITH RAMIPRIL VS TELMISARTAN

Gian Chand, Rabinder Kumar, Pritam Singh Sandhu

Abstract :

Hypertension is a major independent risk factor for coronary artery disease, stroke, heart failure, renal failure and peripheral arterial disease.¹ The two major classes of drugs that target the RAAS are the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and the selective angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs).²Hyperkalemia is one of the important side effects of ACEIs/ARBs. Our study mainly aims to study serum potassium level and compare efficacy of BP lowering with ramipril and telmisartan in hypertensive patients at baseline, 1 week and 1 month. There was significant rise in serum potassium levels from baseline with both drugs but on comparison, no significant rise in serum potassium level was seen. There was significant fall in blood pressure with both drugs but telmisartan was more effective in lowering blood pressure as compared to ramipril.