title: Low-dose quadruple antihypertensive combination: more efficacious than individual agents--a preliminary report.
abstract: Increasingly combined antihypertensive agents are being used in practice to enhance control and improve compliance. To determine whether a capsule containing a quarter of the standard dose of 4 antihypertensive agents has greater efficacy than the standard dose of each individually, we prospectively randomized 108 untreated white hypertensive patients (55% male) aged 50+/-1 years (mean+/-SEM), with mean blood pressure 160+/-1/96+/-1 mm Hg. Patients received amlodipine (5 mg; n=22), atenolol (50 mg; n=20), bendroflumethiazide (2.5 mg; n=22), captopril (50 mg twice daily; n=22) or a capsule containing each of the 4 above at one-quarter dosage (n=22) in a parallel group design for 4 weeks. Blood pressure was measured using a semiautomated device (Omron 705), and the reduction in mean arterial pressure with the combined preparation was compared with that of the individual components. Statistical analysis used ANOVA and Tukey-Kramer honestly significant difference for multiple comparisons. The reduction in mean arterial pressure with the combination (19+/-2 mm Hg) was significantly greater than that with individual agents amlodipine (10+/-2 mm Hg; P<0.005), atenolol (10+/-2 mm Hg; P<0.005), bendroflumethiazide (6+/-1 mm Hg; P<0.005), and captopril (11+/-1 mm Hg; P<0.01). In addition, the percentage reduction in systolic (18+/-1 mm Hg; P<0.005) and diastolic (17+/-2 mm Hg; P=0.06) blood pressure was greater with the combination. More patients achieved a blood pressure of <140/90 mm Hg with the combination (60%) than any individual drug (15% to 45%; P<0.05). A low-dose combination of 4 agents representing 4 classes of standard antihypertensive agents was more efficacious than a standard single dose of each agent individually.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Trinity College Dublin, Centre for Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Azra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mahmud
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feely
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017311:Amlodipine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001262:Atenolol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001539:Bendroflumethiazide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002214:Capsules; D002216:Captopril / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004232:Diuretics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D002214:Capsules; D004232:Diuretics; D004338:Drug Combinations; D017311:Amlodipine; D001262:Atenolol; D001539:Bendroflumethiazide; D002216:Captopril