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Sixth Report (sixth + report)
Selected AbstractsEffectiveness and safety of eprosartan on pulse pressure for the treatment of hypertensive patientsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 4 2005N. R. Robles Summary A multicentre, prospective, non-comparative open-label study was conducted to assess the effect of eprosartan, 600 mg/day, on pulse pressure (PP) in patients with hypertension (stage I or II, Joint National Committee, sixth report) treated in the primary care setting, as well as safety and compliance. The duration of treatment was 16 weeks. Eprosartan decreased PP (,13 mmHg), systolic blood pressure (SBP) (,26 mmHg), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (,13 mmHg) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) (,17.4 mmHg) significantly (p < 0.0001). The PP/MAP ratio changed significantly from 62 to 59%, so that the reduction of PP was 3% higher than the overall decrease in MAP. Twenty adverse events, mostly gastrointestinal complaints, were recorded in 12 patients (1.9%). Compliance with treatment at the end of the study was 94%. Eprosartan was a well-tolerated and an effective drug in reducing PP, SBP and DBP below the recommended levels in patients with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension, allowing a high therapeutic compliance. [source] Patient Knowledge and Awareness of Hypertension Is Suboptimal: Results From a Large Health Maintenance OrganizationJOURNAL OF CLINICAL HYPERTENSION, Issue 4 2003Mark Alexander PhD; Patient knowledge and awareness of hypertension are important factors in achieving blood pressure control. To examine hypertensive patients' knowledge of their condition, the authors randomly surveyed 2500 hypertension patients from a large health maintenance organization; questionnaires were supplemented with clinic blood pressure measurements. Approximately 72% of the subjects completed surveys. Of patients with uncontrolled hypertension (systolic blood pressure [SBP] 140 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure [DBP] 90 mm Hg), only 20.2% labeled their blood pressure as "high" and 38.4% as "borderline high." Forty percent of respondents couldn't recall their most recent clinic-based SBP and DBP values. Overall, 71.7% and 61% were unable to report a target SBP or DBP, respectively, or identify elevated targets based on the sixth report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC VI) criteria. Most patients perceived DBP to be a more important risk factor than SBP. Hypertensive patients' awareness of blood pressure targets and current hypertension control status, particularly with respect to SBP, is suboptimal. The authors' findings support the need to improve patient education for better management of hypertension. [source] Achieving Goal Blood Pressure in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: Conventional Versus Fixed-Dose Combination ApproachesJOURNAL OF CLINICAL HYPERTENSION, Issue 3 2003George L. Bakris MD Data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) demonstrate that only 11% of people with diabetes who are treated for high blood pressure achieve the blood pressure goal of <130/85 mm Hg recommended in the sixth report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC VI). The current study tests the hypothesis that initial therapy with a fixed-dose combination will achieve the recommended blood pressure goal in patients with type 2 diabetes faster than conventional monotherapy. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study had as a primary end point achievement of blood pressure <130/85 mm Hg. Participants (N=214) with hypertension and type 2 diabetes received either amlodipine/benazepril 5/10 mg (combination) or enalapril 10 mg (conventional) once daily for 4 weeks, titrated to 5/20 mg/day or 20 mg/day, respectively at this time, if target blood pressure was not achieved. Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) 12.5 mg/day was added for the final 4 weeks, if target blood pressure was still not reached. Time from baseline to achieve blood pressure <130/85 mm Hg was shorter in the combination group (5.3±3.1 weeks combination vs. 6.4±3.8 weeks conventional; p=0.001). At 3 months, more participants in the combination group achieved treatment goal (63% combination vs. 37% conventional; p=0.002). Data analysis at 3 months comparing blood pressure control rates between the fixed-dose combination group (with out HCTZ) to the conventional group (receiving HCTZ) showed an even greater disparity in blood pressure goal achievement (87% combination without HCTZ vs. 37% conventional group with HCTZ; p=0.0001). We conclude that initial therapy with a fixed-dose combination may be more efficacious than conventional monotherapy approaches for achieving blood pressure goals in the diabetic patient. A fixed-dose combination approach appears as safe as the current conventional approaches. [source] Characteristics of contemporary patients with hypertension and coronary artery diseaseCLINICAL CARDIOLOGY, Issue 10 2004Rhonda M. Cooper-DeHoff PHARM.D. Abstract Background: Despite a high prevalence of hypertension in the population with CAD, there are limited data describing the clinical characteristics and treatments, as well as their interrelations in these patients. This is particularly true for black and Hispanic patients who have been underrepresented in randomized CAD trials. Hypothesis: There exist racial and ethnic differences that define the characteristics of patients with both coronary artery disease (CAD) and hypertension. Methods: This report describes the characteristics of Caucasian, Hispanic, and black patients enrolled in the International Verapamil SR/trandolapril Study (INVEST), a prospective trial undertaken exclusively in patients with CAD and hypertension. Results: In all, 10,925 Caucasian, 8,045 Hispanic, and 3,029 black patients are described. An abnormal angiogram or documented myocardial infarction was observed more frequently in Caucasian patients (73%), while angina pectoris was more prevalent in Hispanic patients (87%). Diabetes and left ventricular hypertrophy were most common in black patients (33 and 29%, respectively), while hypercholesterolemia and prior revascularization (coronary artery bypass graft or angioplasty) were most common in Caucasian patients (64 and 41%, respectively). More than 60% of Hispanic and black patients were women,a unique characteristic for randomized CAD trials. Comparing race/ethnic cohorts, there were significant differences for all characteristics. More than 80% of patients in all race/ethnic groups were receiving antihypertensive therapy; however, only fewer than 25% had controlled blood pressure according to guidelines from the sixth report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure. Conclusions: This high-risk population of hypertensive patients with CAD has been undertreated and does not have well-controlled B P. Race/ethnic differences were observed for clinical characteristics and medication use. 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