title: The efficacy and safety of valsartan and combination of valsartan and hydrochlorothiazide in the treatment of patients with mild to moderate arterial hypertension - the VICTORY trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the trial was to establish the efficacy and safety of Valsacor® (valsartan) and Valsacombi® (combination of valsartan and hydrochlorothiazide) in a wide variety of patient populations with mild to moderate arterial hypertension.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed an international, multicentre, open-label, prospective trial. After one week of washout in previously treated patients, the patients were treated for 16 weeks according to the protocol. Naïve patients entered the treatment period immediately. During the active treatment, four visits were planned for each patient to obtain the data for the primary and secondary efficacy endpoints analysis. The principal methods were blood pressure (BP) measurement, additionally in a subgroup of patients, assessment of erectile function. The initial dosage of valsartan 80 mg/day was titrated up to 320 mg/day to achieve the BP goal, with the addition of hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) in a fixed-dose combination (FDC), if needed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean ± standard deviation changes from baseline at week 16 were -26.6 ± 10.4 mm Hg (systolic BP) and -14.8 ± 7.6 mm Hg (diastolic BP). A total of 91% of the patients treated with either valsartan or valsartan FDC achieved the BP goal. Adverse reactions were experienced by 7.1% of the patients, with the most common being headache (1.9%), palpitation (1.6%), dizziness (1.6%), and fatigue (1.6%), during the whole trial.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the VICTORY trial show that valsartan and valsartan FDC effectively reduce the BP in patients with mild to moderate arterial hypertension and have a good tolerability profile.
authors.forename: Rok
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Accetto
authors.forename: Irina Yevgenyevna
authors.initials: IY
authors.lastname: Chazova
authors.forename: Yuriy
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sirenko
authors.forename: Josip
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vincelj
authors.forename: Jiri
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Widimsky
authors.affiliation: Krka, d. d., Novo mesto Dunajska 65 1000 Ljubljana. breda.zagar@krka.biz.
authors.forename: Breda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Barbič-Žagar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006852:Hydrochlorothiazide / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061214:Patient Safety; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000068756:Valsartan / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D006852:Hydrochlorothiazide; D000068756:Valsartan
keywords: arterial hypertension; fixed-dose combination; valsartan