title: Fixed-combination of amlodipine and diuretic chronotherapy in the treatment of essential hypertension: improved blood pressure control with bedtime dosing-a multicenter, open-label randomized study.
abstract: Previous studies have demonstrated that individual anti-hypertension medications have different effects when administered in the morning vs. the evening. However, the impact of administration timing on fixed combinations of anti-hypertensive medications on blood pressure control is still unknown. In the present study, we examined the administration time-dependent effects of a fixed combination of amlodipine and diuretics (amlodipine complex) on blood pressure in hypertensive subjects. Eighty patients from Chongqing City were enrolled in this study. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive a single pill (amlodipine complex, each tablet containing amlodipine 5 mg and hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg), either in the morning (0800 hours, n=40) or at bedtime (2200 hours, n=40). Blood pressure was measured by ambulatory monitoring every 20 min during the day and every 30 min at night for 24 consecutive hours before and after the 12 weeks of treatment. Following treatment, the 24-h mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures were reduced significantly in both the morning and bedtime groups. However, the morning blood pressure surge was reduced to a greater degree in the bedtime group. In addition, the nocturnal blood pressure and the 24 h mean blood pressure were lower in the bedtime group. More patients converted from having a non-dipper to dipper blood pressure in the bedtime group. These findings confirm that amlodipine complexes have different efficiencies depending on treatment time. Administration of amlodipine complexes at bedtime could optimize the anti-hypertensive effect by augmenting blood pressure-lowering effects, increasing the diurnal/nocturnal ratio of blood pressure, normalizing the blood pressure pattern and minimizing the morning blood pressure surge.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Hospital in Daping Hospital, The Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, PR China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ran
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xukai
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hongyong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chengming
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Chunyu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zeng
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017311:Amlodipine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004232:Diuretics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006852:Hydrochlorothiazide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D004232:Diuretics; D006852:Hydrochlorothiazide; D017311:Amlodipine