CORD: COmparison of Recommended Doses of ace inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers.

The CORD trials tested ramipril and losartan in patients with hypertension. CORD A randomised 4016 patients with blood pressure (BP) <160/100 mm Hg, who had been treated with an ACEI for >3 months. The patients discontinued ACEI and switched to losartan. After 1 month the BP decreased to 7.7/4.7 mm Hg (p<0.001) and after 1 year to 13.8/8.7 mm Hg (p<0.001). CORD B compared ramipril and losartan in 3813 patients with hypertension who were not being treated with an ACEI or ARB. The patients were randomised to ramipril (n=1926) or losartan (n=1887). After 1 year the BP decreased in the ramipril group to 21.8/13.7 mm Hg (p<0.001) and in the losartan group to 22.0/13.3 mm Hg (p<0.001). No significant differences were found between the groups. No differences were in serious adverse events. Dry cough was more frequently after ramipril (33 vs 4, p<0.001).