In 34 out-patients with essential hypertension, the antihypertensive effect and the trough-to-peak ratios of once-daily enalapril or lisinopril were compared by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) according to a crossover design. The drug dose was titrated and a thiazide diuretic was added if necessary to attain a target office BP of less than 140/90 mm Hg. Both drugs significantly lowered BP but the effect of lisinopril was greater (P < 0.009): day- and night-time mean BP fell from 152/98 and 135/84 mm Hg, respectively to 133/85 and 118/74 mm Hg with enalapril and to 129/83 and 116/70 mm Hg with lisinopril. BP goal was reached with an average dose of 18 mg enalapril with 8 mg hydrochlorothiazide and with 17 mg lisinopril combined with 6 mg diuretic. Trough:peak ratio values, which were calculated after Fourier analysis of ABPM data in individual patients, were independent of drug dose. The combination with the diuretic resulted in slightly higher trough:peak ratios than with ACE inhibitor monotherapy, but the difference was not significant. The median trough:peak ratio in patients when using enalapril-based therapy was 0.48 and, when taking lisinopril-based treatment, it was 0.65 (n = 28, P < 0.005). A significant correlation was found between trough:peak ratio and changes in daytime mean arterial pressure (MAP; Spearman r= 0.43) and night-time MAP (r= 0.66). When 24-h ABPM was performed starting 24 h after last drug intake, both ACE inhibitors still had a significant antihypertensive effect (P < 0.001), which was similar for both drugs. Eleven patients reported minor side effects. Four patients stopped ACE-inhibitor treatment because of cough. The data show that lisinopril has a longer duration of action than enalapril.