title: Blood pressure reduction and control with fixed-dose combination perindopril/amlodipine: A Pan-Hellenic prospective observational study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hypertension guidelines recommend fixed-dose combinations for enhanced blood pressure (BP) reduction and compliance. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness and safety of fixed-dose perindopril/amlodipine combination in reducing and controlling BP in Greek hypertensive patients, as well as the effect of baseline BP and added cardiovascular risk on BP reduction.
  
  
  METHODS
  This 6-month prospective observational study included male or female patients ⩾18 years with essential hypertension prescribed fixed-dose combination perindopril/amlodipine. BP was measured at baseline and 3 and 6 months. Baseline cardiovascular risk and treatment compliance were also assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 2231 per protocol patients, mean systolic BP decreased from 157.0±15.4 mm Hg to 129.0±7.9 mm Hg after 6 months, and diastolic BP from 91.5±10.1 to 78.8±6.7 mm Hg (both p < 0.001). BP control was achieved in 84.8% at 6 months. Patients with higher baseline added cardiovascular risk or BP had greater BP reduction (p < 0.001). Compliance was good (97.1% took treatment "every day" or "quite often") and few (n = 27; 1.2%) discontinued treatment prematurely due to adverse events.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fixed-dose perindopril/amlodipine safely and effectively reduced high BP in real-life practice, achieving BP control in most patients. About half of Greek hypertensive patients have high/very high added cardiovascular risk.
authors: Cardiology Department, Asklepeion General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors: Athanasios
authors: A
authors: Manolis
authors: Medical Department, Servier Hellas Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Athens, Greece.
authors: Violetta
authors: V
authors: Grammatikou
authors: Medical Department, Servier Hellas Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Athens, Greece emmanouil.kallistratos@gr.netgrs.com.
authors: Manolis
authors: M
authors: Kallistratos
authors: Cardiology Department, George Papanikolaou General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Zarifis
authors: Hippokration General Hospital, First Cardiology Clinic, University of Athens, Greece.
authors: Konstantinos
authors: K
authors: Tsioufis
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017311:Amlodipine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D003971:Diastole / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006115:Greece; D020913:Perindopril / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013599:Systole / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D017311:Amlodipine; C542336:amlodipine, perindopril drug combination; D004338:Drug Combinations; D020913:Perindopril
keywords: Hypertension; amlodipine; cardiovascular risk; compliance; fixed-dose combination; perindopril