title: The case for single pill combinations.
abstract: Although the need for combination therapy of hypertension was obvious from the early intervention trials, administration of such therapy as fixed-dose or single-pill combinations has only reached general acceptance in recent years. The main reason for this change of mind documented in the recommendation of using single-pill combinations in almost every recent hypertension guideline is our increasing knowledge about non-adherence to drug therapy. In the multifactorial origin of non-adherence, the complexity of therapy, especially in elderly patients with comorbidities and polypharmacy, has been identified as a major factor involved. So an important rule in hypertension treatment, and maybe in drug therapy in general, is to keep things as simple as possible.
authors.affiliation: Hypertoniezentrum Bonn , Germany.
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Düsing
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D055118:Medication Adherence
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations
keywords: Adherence; Antihypertensive; Fixed-dose combination; Pill burden