title: [Fixed combinations of antihypertensive medications--new opportunity in treatment of hypertension].
abstract: Arterial hypertension is one of the major public health problems. Early recognition and treatment, based on total cardiovascular risk assessment, is crucial for cardiovascular and renal protection. The choice of initial drug is often futile because most of hypertensive patients will need more than one medication for achieving blood pressure control. Initiation of treatment wih combination of antihypertensive drugs is reasonable choice especially in high or very high risk patients where it is important to achieve prompt and intensive blood pressure control in order to reduce cardiovascular complications. Fixed combination of two antihypertensive drugs can simplify treatment and favour compliance. The last, 2007 ESH/ESC guidelines, and several studies published in the meantime, favour use of ACE inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers with calcium channel blockers or diuretics as the combination of choice. Fixed combination of ramipril and felodipine is in agreement with guidelines recomendations with proven benefit on cardiovascular protection and non-diabetic kidney disease in patients with essential hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Klinika za unutrasnje bolesti, Medicinskog fakulteta u Zagrebu, KBC Zagreb. mario.laganovic@zg.htnet.hr
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laganović
mesh_terms: D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004338:Drug Combinations; D015736:Felodipine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017257:Ramipril / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D004338:Drug Combinations; D017257:Ramipril; D015736:Felodipine