title: Effectiveness of perindopril/amlodipine fixed dose combination in everyday clinical practice: results from the EMERALD study.
abstract: The rates of blood pressure (BP) control worldwide are discouraging. This study had the purpose of assessing the effectiveness of perindopril/amlodipine fixed dose combination on BP-lowering efficacy, and recording adherence, safety and tolerability during a 4 month treatment period.
  
  
  
  In this multicenter, observational study 2269 hypertensive patients were prospectively enrolled. The data were recorded at 1 and 4 months of treatment.
  
  
  
  Between the first and third visits mean BP values (systolic/diastolic) decreased from 158.4 ± 13.6/89.9 ± 8.7 mmHg to 130.0 ± 7.9/77.7 ± 6.3 mmHg (P < 0.001). The magnitude of BP reduction depended on baseline blood pressure levels and total cardiovascular (CV) risk (P < 0.001). Patients with grade 1, 2 and 3 showed a BP reduction of 21.9/10.0 mmHg, 34.4/14.2 mmHg and 51.4/21.2 mmHg, accordingly (P < 0.001). Patients with very high, high, moderate and low added CV risk showed a BP reduction of 35.7/14.9 mmHg, 27.5/12.1 mmHg, 28.6/12.2 mmHg and 14.5/5.8 mmHg respectively (P < 0.001). Adherence to treatment was high: 98.3% of the sample was taking the treatment "every day" or "quite often", while only 15 patients (0.7% of the sample) prematurely discontinued treatment. Study interpretation may be limited by the fact that this is an observational study with no comparator and a short follow-up period.
  
  
  
  A perindopril/amlodipine fixed dose combination significantly decreases BP levels. The degree of BP reduction is related to baseline BP levels and total CV risk.
authors.affiliation: a "Hippokration" General Hospital, First Cardiology Clinic, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , Greece ;
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vlachopoulos
authors.affiliation: b Servier Hellas Pharmaceuticals Ltd. , Medical Department , Athens , Greece ;
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Grammatikou
authors.affiliation: b Servier Hellas Pharmaceuticals Ltd. , Medical Department , Athens , Greece ;
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kallistratos
authors.affiliation: c "Hippokration" General Hospital, Second Propedeutic Department of Internal Medicine , Aristotle University of Thessaloniki , Greece.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karagiannis
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017311:Amlodipine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020913:Perindopril / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; C542336:amlodipine, perindopril drug combination; D017311:Amlodipine; D020913:Perindopril
keywords: Adherence; Amlodipine; Fixed-dose combination; Hypertension; Perindopril