title: Long-term tolerability and efficacy of the combination of amlodipine/valsartan in hypertensive patients: a 54-week, open-label extension study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the long-term tolerability and efficacy of the amlodipine/valsartan 5/320 mg once daily (o.d.) combination in hypertensive patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a 54-week, multicenter, open-label extension study in patients with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension selected after successfully completing a core study during which they received either placebo, amlodipine, valsartan or combination therapy. Eligible patients (mean sitting diastolic blood pressure [MSDBP] < or = 95 mmHg and mean sitting systolic blood pressure [MSSBP] < or = 150 mmHg; n = 403) were started with amlodipine/valsartan 2.5/160 mg o.d. Following the initial 2-week treatment period, patients were force titrated to amlodipine/valsartan 5/320 mg o.d. for the remainder of the trial. Only the first 150 patients who successfully completed 28 weeks of the extension study were eligible to continue further treatment for 12 months. Efficacy variables were change from core study baseline in MSDBP and MSSBP at study (extension) endpoint. Safety assessments consisted of monitoring and recording all adverse events and serious adverse events.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Reductions in MSDBP and MSSBP were achieved at each extension visit. At endpoint, the reductions in MSDBP and MSSBP were 17.0 and 24.2 mmHg. Summary statistics by subgroup indicate that the combination of amlodipine/valsartan 5/320 mg was effective regardless of age, gender, or stage of hypertension. Peripheral edema occurred in 1.2% of the patients. No case of edema was classified as serious or severe, and no patient was discontinued due to edema. No deaths or clinically significant laboratory findings were observed during this extension study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Long-term treatment with the amlodipine/valsartan 5/320 mg combination was well-tolerated. Clinically significant and persistent reductions in blood pressure were achieved. Limitations included an open-label design and inclusion of only those patients at or near goal blood pressure after the preceding core trial.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany. thomas.philipp@uk-essen.de
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Philipp
authors.forename: Robert D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Glazer
authors.forename: Yanxing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pospiech
mesh_terms: D017311:Amlodipine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D010919:Placebos; D013777:Tetrazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014633:Valine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068756:Valsartan
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D010919:Placebos; D013777:Tetrazoles; D017311:Amlodipine; D000068756:Valsartan; D014633:Valine