title: Telmisartan versus valsartan in patients with hypertension: effects on cardiovascular, metabolic, and inflammatory parameters.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs) have beneficial effects on cardiovascular, metabolic, and inflammatory parameters in addition to controlling blood pressure (BP). However, few comparative clinical studies have been conducted with different ARBs. We compared these effects in patients with uncomplicated hypertension who were receiving telmisartan or valsartan.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects were patients with essential hypertension (48.4±9.6 years) who were randomly assigned to take either telmisartan (80 mg/day, n=30) or valsartan (160 mg/day, n=30) for 12 weeks. Their anthropometric, laboratory, vascular, and echocardiographic data were measured at baseline and at the end of the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Baseline characteristics were not significantly different between the two groups, except for the carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV; telmisartan group vs. valsartan group; 841.2±131.0 vs. 761.1±104.4 cm/s, p<0.05). After 12 weeks, BP had fallen to a similar extent with mean reductions in the systolic and diastolic BP of 20.7±18.1 and 16.3±13.0 mm Hg (p<0.001, respectively) for the telmisartan and 22.5±17.0 and 16.8±9.3 mm Hg (p<0.001, respectively) for the valsartan group. Although the cfPWV and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) fell significantly only with the administration of telmisartan, they were not significantly different when baseline cfPWV was considered. The differences in the cfPWV and LVMI changes from baseline between the two groups were also not significant after adjusting for baseline cfPWV. No significant changes in other vascular, metabolic, or inflammatory parameters were observed with either treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The effects of a 12-week treatment with the two ARBs, telmisartan and valsartan, on cardiovascular, metabolic, and inflammatory parameters were not different in patients with uncomplicated hypertension.
authors: Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Sung Yoon
authors: SY
authors: Lim
authors: Sun Won
authors: SW
authors: Kim
authors: Eung Ju
authors: EJ
authors: Kim
authors: Jun Hyuk
authors: JH
authors: Kang
authors: Su A
authors: SA
authors: Kim
authors: Yun Kyung
authors: YK
authors: Kim
authors: Jin Oh
authors: JO
authors: Na
authors: Cheol Ung
authors: CU
authors: Choi
authors: Hong Euy
authors: HE
authors: Lim
authors: Seong Woo
authors: SW
authors: Han
authors: Seung-Woon
authors: SW
authors: Rha
authors: Chang Gyu
authors: CG
authors: Park
authors: Hong Seog
authors: HS
authors: Seo
authors: Dong Joo
authors: DJ
authors: Oh