Aldosterone inhibition with mineralcorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) is an effective treatment for resistant
hypertension.
Aldosterone synthase inhibitors (ASIs) are currently being investigated as a new therapeutic strategy to reduce
aldosterone secretion from the adrenal gland. In this study, the efficacy and safety of the first-generation ASI
LCI699 (0.25 mg twice daily, 1 mg 4 once daily, and 0.5 mg/1 mg twice daily) was compared with placebo and
eplerenone (50 mg twice daily), in patients with resistant
hypertension. Placebo-adjusted decreases in systolic blood pressure (BP) with
LCI699 ranged from 2.6 mm Hg to 4.3 mm Hg at week 8; changes in diastolic BP ranged from +0.3 mm Hg to -1.2 mm Hg. However, reductions were smaller than observed with
eplerenone 50 mg twice daily (9.9 mm Hg and 2.9 mm Hg for systolic and diastolic BP, respectively) and not statistically significant vs placebo.
LCI699 suppressed plasma
aldosterone levels in a dose-related manner with corresponding dose-dependent increases in plasma
renin activity and plasma 11-deoxycorticosterone.
LCI699 and
eplerenone were well tolerated. These data demonstrate that
aldosterone synthesis inhibition with
LCI699 lowers BP modestly in patients with resistant
hypertension.
Aldosterone synthesis inhibition might offer an attractive adjunct to
aldosterone receptor blockade, although the potential of a combination MRA/ASI has not yet been tested.