title: Long-term safety and antihypertensive efficacy of irbesartan: pooled results of five open-label studies.
abstract: An analysis of 5 multicenter, open-label studies was conducted to evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of irbesartan in 1,006 patients with seated diastolic blood pressure (SeDBP) 95-110 mm Hg. Irbesartan monotherapy was started at 75 mg and titrated to 300 mg at 2- to 4-week intervals to achieve normalized blood pressure (SeDBP <90 mm Hg). If normalized BP was not attained with irbesartan 300 mg alone, adjunctive medications could be added. At 12 months of therapy, the mean reduction in seated systolic blood pressure/SeDBP was 21.0/15.8 mm Hg, and 83% (684/821) of patients were normalized. Of those normalized, 64% were receiving irbesartan monotherapy and 86% were receiving irbesartan or irbesartan/hydrochlorothiazide only. No evidence of tachyphylaxis to the antihypertensive effect of irbesartan was noted. Thus, long-term irbesartan therapy, with or without other antihypertensives, achieved and maintained normalized BP in the majority of patients and was well tolerated.
authors.affiliation: Piedmont Medical Research Associates, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Littlejohn
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Saini
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kassler-Taub
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Chrysant
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Marbury
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001581:Benzothiadiazines; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004232:Diuretics; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000077405:Irbesartan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012449:Safety; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D049993:Sodium Chloride Symporter Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013777:Tetrazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D001581:Benzothiadiazines; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D004232:Diuretics; D049993:Sodium Chloride Symporter Inhibitors; D013777:Tetrazoles; D000077405:Irbesartan