Antihypertensive therapy with CCB/ARB combination in older individuals: focus on amlodipine/valsartan combination.
Hypertension is highly prevalent and more difficult to treat in older individuals. Monotherapy alone is often not effective for the control of hypertension and single-pill combination therapy with 2 drugs having complementary mechanisms of action is needed in many older hypertensive individuals. The literature on management of hypertension in the elderly is reviewed, focusing on the efficacy of single-pill combination treatment with amlodipine and valsartan. Data from controlled clinical trials indicate that amlodipine/valsartan combination therapy was more effective in decreasing blood pressure than amlodipine monotherapy in older patients with stage 1 or stage 2 hypertension. This finding was also observed for older black hypertensive patients. In addition to reducing blood pressure, this combination therapy has demonstrated reduced incidence of peripheral edema, making it more acceptable to patients. In addition, due to metabolic neutrality of both components, this combination is preferable in patients with diabetes or metabolic syndrome. In conclusion, combination therapy, including single-pill combination therapy with amlodipine/valsartan, is particularly useful for the management of high-risk individuals such as the elderly.
Department of Medicine, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08903-0019, USA. kostis@umdnj.edu
John B
JB
Kostis
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017311:Amlodipine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D013777:Tetrazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014633:Valine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068756:Valsartan
D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D004338:Drug Combinations; D013777:Tetrazoles; D017311:Amlodipine; D000068756:Valsartan; D014633:Valine