title: Efficacy and safety of treatment of hypertensive patients with fixed combination perindopril/indapamide up to 10/2.5 mg: results of the FALCO FORTE programme.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective of the FALCO FORTE programme was to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of 3 months of therapy with the fixed combination perindopril/indapamide in hypertensive patients in everyday medical practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with blood pressure >140/90 mmHg or with blood pressure >130/85 mmHg and three or more risk factors were prescribed perindopril/indapamide 2.5/0.625 mg or 5/1.25 mg. Dosage could be increased to 10/2.5 mg at any time during the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 2327 patients included, 69% of patients had been unsuccessfully treated with other antihypertensives, 4.6% had not tolerated previous antihypertensive treatments, and 26.8% were newly diagnosed hypertensive patients. Roughly half the cohort was at high or very high cardiovascular risk. After 3 months of therapy, systolic blood pressure decreased from 156.9 ± 13.7 to 132.3 ± 10.6 mmHg (p < 0.0001) and diastolic blood pressure from 94.9 ± 8.2 to 81.3 ± 6.3 mmHg (p < 0.0001). Target blood pressure was reached by 87.1% of patients. Similar changes from baseline were observed in patients with diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome or left ventricular hypertrophy (p < 0.0001). When blood pressure decreases were analysed by dose, changes from baseline increased with increasing doses. Perindopril/indapamide was well tolerated with no significant changes in laboratory parameters being observed. Quality of life improved significantly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Therapy with fixed combination perindopril/indapamide was effective and well tolerated in a wide range of patients.
authors.affiliation: 3rd Department of Medicine, Centre of Excellency for Atherosclerosis Research, Medical Faculty PJ Safarik University, Louis Pasteur Hospital, Kosice, Slovakia. pellad@stonline.sk
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pella
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004232:Diuretics / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007190:Indapamide / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020913:Perindopril / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D018154:Slovakia; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D004232:Diuretics; D004338:Drug Combinations; C494243:indapamide, perindopril drug combination; D007190:Indapamide; D020913:Perindopril