title: Olmesartan/Amlodipine: combination therapy for the treatment of hypertension [corrected].
abstract: Hypertension is a highly prevalent disease and one of the most important modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Hypertension remains the leading cause of mortality and the third largest cause of disability in both developed and developing countries. Although recent guidelines and advisory statements are recommending lower thresholds and goals for antihypertensive treatment, approximately two thirds of patients do not achieve the goals. In the United States only 36.8% of hypertensive patients achieve the goal of <140/90 mmHg. Poor adherence to antihypertensive medication regimens contributes to the practice-outcome gap. In most hypertensive patients it is difficult or impossible to control blood pressure with one drug, thus current guidelines have recommended the use of combination therapy as first-line treatment, or early in the management of hypertension. Blocking two or more blood pressure regulatory systems provides a more effective and more physiologic reduction in blood pressure. Fixed-dose combinations offer many advantages over free-drug combinations, such as convenience of use, fewer adverse events, and greater antihypertensive potency. Similar to other combinations, fixed-dose combination tablets containing the dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker amlodipine and the angiotensin receptor blocker olmesartan bring together two distinct and complementary mechanisms of action, resulting in improved blood pressure control and potential for improved target organ protection relative to either class of agent alone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hypertension and Nephrology, Dante Pazzanese Institute of Cardiology, SP, Brazil. espimenta@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pimenta
mesh_terms: D017311:Amlodipine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055118:Medication Adherence; D013777:Tetrazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D004338:Drug Combinations; D007093:Imidazoles; D013777:Tetrazoles; D017311:Amlodipine; C437965:olmesartan