title: The VALUE trial: a commentary.
abstract: The Valsartan Antihypertensive Long-Term Use Evaluation (VALUE) Trial compared coronary heart disease outcome in two anti-hypertensive treatment strategies based on either an angiotensin receptor blocker, valsartan, or a calcium channel blocker (CCB), amlodipine. In both patient groups a diuretic was added, if necessary, in an attempt to achieve blood pressure (BP) goals. Follow-up of over 15,000 patients was maintained for 4.2 years. There were no differences in the primary composite endpoint of cardiac morbidity and mortality (which included interventional procedures, hospitalised heart failure, non-fatal myocardial infarction and fatal coronary heart disease, however myocardial infarction and stroke events occurred less commonly on amlodipine than on valsartan the former achieving statistical significance [p=0.02 and p=0.08 respectively]). There was a non-significant excess of hospitalised heart failure on amlodipine (p=0.012). However, lower BPs early in the trial probably accounted for most of the observed benefits in favour of the CCB. The angiotensin receptor blocker arm was associated with less new onset diabetes. The results of VALUE add further support to the evidence that blood pressure control is the major determinant in outcome in trials of antihypertensive therapy.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sever
mesh_terms: D017311:Amlodipine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013777:Tetrazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014633:Valine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068756:Valsartan
chemical_list: D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D013777:Tetrazoles; D017311:Amlodipine; D000068756:Valsartan; D014633:Valine