title: Pharmacokinetic evaluation and clinical utility of  azilsartan medoxomil  for the treatment of hypertension.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Azilsartan medoxomil is a newly approved angiotensin-receptor blocker for the management of hypertension. It is a prodrug that is quickly hydrolyzed to the active moiety azilsartan, a potent and highly selective angiotensin-receptor blocker with estimated bioavailability of ∼ 60%. This new agent induces a potent and long-lasting antihypertensive effect. The effective therapeutic antihypertensive dosages of azilsartan medoxomil in humans vary from 40 to 80 mg/day.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors review the results of clinical trials published in journals indexed in Medline, Scopus and Google Scholar. Primarily the authors discuss articles that analyze the safety and efficacy of azilsartan in lowering blood pressure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinical trials have demonstrated that azilsartan is superior to other angiotensin-receptor blockers in lowering blood pressure. However, the clinical blood pressure trials of azilsartan published to date have been mainly conducted in patients without serious comorbidities and it is not clear if azilsartan has advantages over other angiotensin-receptor blockers in the treatment of these types of hypertensive patients. In addition, it remains to be determined whether the specific pharmacologic and pharmacokinetic characteristics of azilsartan will have a clinically significant impact on long-term cardiovascular outcomes.
authors: Section of Cardiology, AUSL 1 dell'Umbria, Perugia, Italy.
authors: Fabio
authors: F
authors: Angeli
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Verdecchia
authors: Chiara
authors: C
authors: Pascucci
authors: Cristina
authors: C
authors: Poltronieri
authors: Gianpaolo
authors: G
authors: Reboldi
mesh_terms: D057911:Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D004347:Drug Interactions; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010069:Oxadiazoles / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D057911:Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D010069:Oxadiazoles; C557413:azilsartan medoxomil