title: Single-pill combination of amlodipine and valsartan in the management of hypertension.
abstract: Combination therapy is increasingly recommended for selected patients with hypertension to facilitate prompt attainment and maintenance of goal blood pressure (BP). Single-pill combination therapy simplifies treatment and optimizes long-term compliance. Amlodipine, a dihydropyridine calcium antagonist, and valsartan, an angiotensin receptor blocker, are well-established antihypertensive agents with complementary mechanisms of action. This combination lowers BP significantly more than either of its components, and valsartan reduces the incidence of dose-related amlodipine-induced edema. Rigorous clinical trial data have proven the BP-lowering efficacy and high tolerability of the amlodipine/valsartan combination in patients with moderate to severe hypertension as well as other difficult-to-treat populations. Amlodipine/valsartan is indicated as initial therapy in patients who are unlikely to be controlled with a single drug and as second-line therapy in patients not responding adequately to monotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 4201 St. Antoine, Suite 2E, Detroit, MI 48201, USA. jflack@med.wayne.edu
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Flack
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hilkert
mesh_terms: D017311:Amlodipine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D013777:Tetrazoles / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014633:Valine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068756:Valsartan
chemical_list: 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