The safety and efficacy of captopril plus hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) were compared to nifedipine gastrointestinal therapeutic system (GITS) in 145 randomly assigned black patients with mild to moderate hypertension. Following a 4-week placebo lead-in, patients received captopril plus HCTZ 25/15 mg or nifedipine GITS 30 mg for up to 12 weeks. Upward dose titration was permitted at weeks 3 and 6. Mean seated systolic and diastolic blood pressures decreased 16.1 ± 13.5 mm Hg and 11.5 ± 7.4 mm Hg, respectively, with captopril plus HCTZ. Statistically similar decreases were observed with nifedipine GITS: systolic, 19.3 ± 12.2 mm Hg; diastolic, 13.8 ± 7.2 mm Hg. There were no clinically significant between-group differences in serum chemistries. Edema was reported in 20.3% of nifedipine GITS patients versus 1.4% of captopril plus HCTZ patients (p = 0.001). The two regimens were equally effective in controlling blood pressure in black patients; however, a higher incidence of edema occurred with nifedipine GITS compared to captopril plus HCTZ.