title: Losartan/hydrochlorothiazide combination therapy surpasses high-dose angiotensin receptor blocker in the reduction of morning home blood pressure in patients with morning hypertension.
abstract: Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are the first-line antihypertensive agents. In clinical practice, it is often difficult to achieve the recommended blood pressure level by ARBs in their ordinal dosages alone. This study examined the practical efficacy of a combination therapy of ARB with thiazide diuretics for lowering morning home blood pressure (MHBP) in comparison to high-dose ARB therapy in patients with morning hypertension administered an ordinal dosage of ARB. This study was performed in a prospective, randomized, open-labeled and blind-endpoint fashion. Patients were considered to have morning hypertension when their self-measured systolic MHBPs were 135mmHg or higher, irrespective of their diastolic MHBP and office blood pressures (OBPs). Forty-eight outpatients with morning hypertension receiving the ordinal dosage of ARB were given either losartan/hydrochlorothiazide (n = 26) or high-dose ARB (n = 22) in place of their previously prescribed ARB. No change in any medication was permitted during this period. Decreases of both systolic and diastolic MHBP after 3 months of treatment were significantly greater in the losartan/hydrochlorothiazide group than in the high-dose ARB group (p < 0.05, respectively). The ratio of adverse events was somewhat high (23.1% in the losartan/hydrochlorothiazide group, 9.1% in the high-dose ARB group, respectively). However, there were no significant differences in any particular adverse event between groups. This study suggested losartan/hydrochlorothiazide might be superior to high-dose ARB for reducing morning home blood pressure.
authors.affiliation: Department of aMedicine and Clinical Science, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama 700-8558, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshihisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hanayama
authors.forename: Haruhito Adam
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Makino
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D057911:Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006852:Hydrochlorothiazide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019808:Losartan / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D057911:Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; C505809:hydrochlorothiazide, losartan drug combination; D006852:Hydrochlorothiazide; D019808:Losartan