Valsartan/hydrochlorothiazide: pharmacology and clinical efficacy.
BACKGROUND
Valsartan/hydrochlorothiazide is a combination of an angiotensin II receptor antagonist and diuretic indicated for hypertensive patients as initial therapy and those not controlled on monotherapy.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic and clinical efficacy of valsartan/hydrochlorothiazide in hypertension therapy and other cardiovascular outcomes.


METHODS
Review of current literature.


RESULTS
Valsartan/hydrochlorothiazide has been shown to be superior to its individual components in randomized controlled studies of patients with moderate-to-severe hypertension and in patients who did not respond to monotherapy. When compared to amlodipine, valsartan/hydrochlorothiazide was shown to have a similar rate of the combined outcome of morbidity and mortality. Valsartan/hydrochlorothiazide has also been studied in specific patient populations, such as diabetics, obese, elderly, black hypertensives and hypertensives with further cardiovascular risk factors, and has been shown to be efficacious in such populations.


CONCLUSIONS
Valsartan/hydrochlorothiazide has been shown to be an efficacious fixed-dose combination antihypertensive agent that is well tolerated with few side effects.
Kondrack
Robyn
R
Creighton University, The Cardiac Center of Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68131, USA.
Mohiuddin
Syed
S
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006801:Humans; D006852:Hydrochlorothiazide / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013777:Tetrazoles / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014633:Valine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068756:Valsartan
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D013777:Tetrazoles; D006852:Hydrochlorothiazide; D000068756:Valsartan; D014633:Valine