Amlodipine besylate/olmesartan medoximil fixed combination for the treatment of hypertension

Abstract

National and international guidelines recommend the use of combination drugs as a first-line therapy for persons with stage 2 hypertension (blood pressure >160/100 mmHg). Although hypertension is common (30% of adults in the USA), its control to recommended blood pressure levels of under 140/90 mmHg remains low, at 36.8%. In the past, fixed-drug combinations included a diuretic with another antihypertensive drug. Recently, combinations of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers mostly with dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers have been developed and approved for the treatment of hypertension. One of these, olmesartan medoxomil in combination with amlodipine besylate has been shown to be effective and safe for the treatment of hypertension. In a large, randomized, placebo-controlled study (Combination of Olmesartan medoxomil and Amlodipine besylate in Controlling High blood pressure [COACH]) of 1940 patients, the high-dose combinations of olmesartan medoxomil and amlodipine besylate 40/10 mg/day reduced the sitting systolic and diastolic blood pressure by 29/19 mmHg from baseline (p < 0.001) and resulted in 54% of patients achieving blood pressure goals. It also decreased the pedal edema induced by amlodipine monotherapy 10 mg/day by 36.1%. This drug combination, besides being effective, is also safe and well tolerated.

Keywords::

• amlodipine besylate
• angiotensin receptor blocker
• combination therapy
• hypertension
• olmesartan medoxomil

Financial & competing interests disclosure

Steven G Chrysant has received research grants from Daiichi Sankyo and also serves as a consultant there.The author has no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.