title: Choosing an antihypertensive combination with a more efficient central blood pressure reduction.
abstract: Not all blood pressure (BP)-lowering agents have the same effect on central BP, but we know that central BP, in itself, is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, antihypertensive agents should ideally also have a central BP-lowering effect. In this paper the authors evaluate the effect of adding a calcium channel blocker to a β-blocker. The results show this combination does not reverse the lesser effect of β-blockers on central BP, and that the combination of valsartan plus amlodipine is more effective in lowering central BP than a combination of amlodipine plus atenolol.
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Móra d'Ebre, Internal Medicine Department, c/o Benet Messeguer, E-43740 Móra d'Ebre, Spain. miguel.camafort@gmail.com
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Camafort-Babkowski