20 Aug Telmisartan Plus HCTZ vs. Amlodipine Plus HCTZ in Older Patients With Systolic Hypertension: Results From a Large Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring Study
Steen Neldam, MD, PhD;1 Colin Edwards, PhD;2 on behalf of the ATHOS Study Group* From Rodøvre Centrum, Denmark;1 and Boehringer Ingelheim Ireland Ltd, Dublin, Ireland2
*ATHOS Study Group members are listed in the Appendix.
Address for correspondence: Steen Neldam, MD, Rodøvre Centrum 294, 2610 Rodøvre, Denmark
E-mail: neldam@dadlnet.dk
Manuscript received September 21, 2005; revised January 17, 2006; accepted February 10, 2006
Systolic hypertension often requires combination therapy. Few data exist comparing angiotensin receptor blocker plus diuretic therapy with other combinations in older patients. In a prospective, randomized, open-label, blinded-end point trial, patients (≥60 years of age) with predominantly systolic hypertension received telmisartan 40-80 mg or amlodipine 5-10 mg for 8 weeks, before the addition of hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) 12.5 mg for a further 6 weeks.
Twenty-fourhour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring showed that telmisartan plus HCTZ (n=448) and amlodipine plus HCTZ (n=424) changed systolic blood pressure for the last 6 hours of the dosing interval by -18.3 and -17.4 mm Hg, respectively (p=0.2520). Over the 24-hour period, telmisartan plus HCTZ was superior (-19.3 and -17.2 mm Hg, respectively; p=0.001) and provided higher systolic control rates (65.9% and 58.3%, respectively; p=0.0175). Adverse events (41.2% and 53.7%, respectively) and discontinuations (5.0% and 11.3%, respectively) were lower (p<0.0001) with telmisartan than with amlodipine, mainly due to peripheral edema (1.2% and 24.3%, respectively). (AJGC. 2006;15:151-160) ©2006 Le Jacq Ltd.