Chlorthalidone More Effective Than Hydrochlorothiazide in Lowering Blood Pressure

Although low-dose thiazide-type diuretics are recommended as initial therapy for most hypertensive patients, chlorthalidone has significantly reduced stroke and cardiovascular end points in several landmark trials.

But hydrochlorothiazide remains favored in practice. Most clinicians assume that the drugs are interchangeable, but their antihypertensive effects at lower doses have not been directly compared. Iowa researchers conducted a randomized, single-blinded, 8-week active treatment, crossover study comparing chlorthalidone 12.5 mg/day (force-titrated to 25 mg/day) and hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg/day (force-titrated to 50 mg/day) in untreated hypertensive patients. The main outcome, 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring, was assessed at baseline and week 8, along with standard office BP readings every 2 weeks. Thirty patients completed the first active treatment period, whereas 24 patients completed both.

They found that week 8 ambulatory BPs indicated a greater reduction from baseline in systolic BP with chlorthalidone 25 mg/day compared with hydrochlorothiazide 50 mg/day (24-hour mean = –12.4 mm Hg versus –7.4 mm Hg; P=0.054; night-time mean = –13.5 mm Hg versus –6.4 mm Hg; P=0.009). Office systolic BP reduction was lower at week 2 for chlorthalidone 12.5 mg/day versus hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg/day (–15.7 mm Hg versus –4.5 mm Hg; P=0.001); however, by week 8, reductions were statistically similar (–17.1 versus –10.8; P=0.84).

The researchers concluded: “Within recommended doses, chlorthalidone is more effective in lowering systolic BPs than hydrochlorothiazide, as evidenced by 24-hour ambulatory BPs. These differences were not apparent with office BP measurements.”

Hypertension. 2006;47:352. March 2006. Comparative Antihypertensive Effects of Hydrochlorothiazide and Chlorthalidone on Ambulatory and Office Blood Pressure, Michael E. Ernst; Barry L. Carter; Chris J. Goerdt; Jennifer J.G. Steffensmeier