title: Practical efficacy of olmesartan versus azilsartan in patients with hypertension: a multicenter randomized-controlled trial (MUSCAT-4 study).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Olmesartan and azilsartan, angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), are expected to decrease blood pressure more than the other ARBs. We conducted randomized-controlled trials to compare the practical efficacy of olmesartan with azilsartan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-four patients treated with the conventional ARBs for more than 3 months were assigned randomly to receive either 20 mg of olmesartan (olmesartan medoxomil, OL group) or 20 mg of azilsartan (azilsartan, not azilsartan medoxomil, AZ group) once daily for 16 weeks. The practical efficacy on blood pressure was compared between the OL and AZ groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Office blood pressure of both groups decreased significantly (OL group: 152/86-141/79 mmHg, P<0.05, AZ group: 149/83-135/75 mmHg; P<0.05). Diastolic home blood pressure in the AZ group decreased significantly (79±9-74±7 mmHg; P<0.05), but not in the OL group (79±11-75±10 mmHg; P=0.068). However, there were no significant differences between the groups. The dosage of olmesartan and azilsartan increased significantly and slightly for 16 weeks (OL group: 20.3-23.1 mg; P<0.05, AZ group: 20.5-23.2 mg; P<0.05), without a significant difference between groups. Furthermore, there were no significant differences in renal function, lipid profiles, brain natriuretic peptide, soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1, and urinary L-type fatty acid-binding protein between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both olmesartan and azilsartan equally reduced blood pressures. Both olmesartan and azilsartan showed a renoprotective effect and were well tolerated without any major adverse events.
authors.affiliation: Departments of aNephrology, Rheumatology, Endocrinology and Metabolism bChronic Kidney Disease and Cardiovascular Disease cGeneral Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kakio
authors.forename: Haruhito A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.forename: Ryoko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Umebayashi
authors.forename: Hidemi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
authors.forename: Yuka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okuyama
authors.forename: Yoshihisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hanayama
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wada
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010069:Oxadiazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013777:Tetrazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D001562:Benzimidazoles; D007093:Imidazoles; D010069:Oxadiazoles; D013777:Tetrazoles; C437965:olmesartan; C521273:azilsartan