title: [An overview of hypertension studies with calcium antagonists].
abstract: Calcium antagonists are widely used in the treatment of hypertension. However, few endpoint studies with calcium antagonists have been done to prove reduction in hypertensive complications. Results of the STONE, SYST-EUR and SYST-CHINA studies show that long-acting calcium antagonists are effective compared to placebo, especially in patients with isolated systolic hypertension and diabetes. Ongoing prospective and randomized trials like STOP II, INSIGHT, NORDIL, ALLHAT and ASCOT will clarify whether calcium antagonists are more effective than well-proven diuretics and betablockers. ASCOT will test the hypothesis that amlodipine is more efficacious than atenolol in preventing cardiac complications in 18,000 hypertensive patients with high coronary risk including diabetes (among them, 2,000 in Norway). The study is also randomizing the patients in a factorial design to either atorvastatin or placebo, testing the so-called lipid hypothesis.
authors.affiliation: Hjerte- og nyremedisinske avdelinger, Medisinsk Klinikk, Ullevål sykehus, Oslo.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Kjeldsen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Midtbø
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Os
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Westheim
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018849:Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000517:prevention & control; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers
vernacular_title: Oversikt over hypertensjonsstudier med kalsiumantagonister. ASCOT. Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial.