title: Fixed-dose combinations as initial therapy for hypertension: a review of approved agents and a guide to patient selection.
abstract: Recent guidelines recommend initiation of antihypertensive therapy with fixed-dose combinations in high-risk patients because such patients usually need two or more blood pressure (BP)-lowering agents in order to normalize their BP. Agents that block the renin-angiotensin system (ACE inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor antagonists [angiotensin receptor blockers; ARBs]) are preferred for the management of hypertension in most patients exhibiting subclinical target organ damage, or established cardiovascular or renal diseases. Unless contraindicated they should be one of the components of fixed-dose combinations, whereas the other component may be either a calcium channel antagonist or a thiazide diuretic. Fixed-dose combinations containing an ACE inhibitor or ARB plus a calcium channel antagonist appear particularly effective in preventing complications of coronary heart disease.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Pathophysiology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois et Université de Lausanne, MP 14/204 Lausanne, CH-1011, Switzerland. Bernard.Waeber@chuv.ch
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Waeber
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Feihl
authors.forename: Luis M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Ruilope
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018579:Patient Selection
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations