Fixed low-dose drug combination for the treatment of hypertension.
The goal of treating hypertension is to maximize therapeutic efficacy without untoward side effects. The accepted approach is to start treatment with a low dose of a single drug and then titrate it upward as needed to achieve a better therapeutic effect. However, higher doses of administered individual drugs increase the frequency and severity of side effects. A rational combination of individual drugs administered in low doses is preferable because it is associated with a high degree of efficacy, low incidence or severity of side effects, and high patient compliance. The most commonly used drug combinations are as follows: (1) diuretics with potassium-sparing agents; (2) beta-adrenergic blockers with diuretics; (3) angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors with diuretics; (4) angiotensin II receptor blockers with diuretics; and (5) angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors with calcium-channel blockers.
Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, USA. ChrysantSG@POL.net
S G
SG
Chrysant
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004232:Diuretics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D004232:Diuretics; D004338:Drug Combinations