Achieving BP goals with valsartan and HCTZ alone and in combination: pooled analysis of two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies

The rationale and design of reduction of uncontrolled hypertension by Remote Monitoring and Telemedicine (REMOTE) study

PURPOSE

Although self-measurement of home blood pressure (HBP) is common in Japan and HBP telemonitoring via the Internet is possible, whether telemonitoring improves HBP control better than conventional practice remains unclear. Furthermore, hypertension care with online communication using telemonitored HBP is feasible, whereas the efficacy and safety of such telemedicine have not been established. We aim to compare traditional care, care with office visits using HBP telemonitoring, and antihypertensive telemedicine based on HBP telemonitoring.

METHODS AND DESIGN

In total, 444 patients with uncontrolled hypertension will be recruited and randomly assigned to three groups: (1) control: usual care with office visits and HBP self-report, (2) telemonitoring: weekly assessment of transmitted HBP by physicians and treatment adjustment upon office visits, or (3) telemedicine: online communication instead of office visits to adjust medication using telemonitored HBP. Primary outcome is the time to control of HBP, and secondary outcomes include achieved HBP levels, adherence, treatment intensity, adverse events, patient satisfaction and cost-effectiveness.

DISCUSSION

Hypertension care with telemonitoring and telemedicine are expected to require shorter time to achieve HBP control compared to usual care. Combining HBP telemonitoring with telemedicine may lower the hurdles for starting and persisting to hypertension treatment and eventually reduce cardiovascular events.

Efficacy and tolerability of once-daily 160 mg valsartan in Chinese patients with mild to moderate hypertension

The present multicentre, prospective, open-label, single treatment arm study (Val-Perfect) examined the efficacy and tolerability of once-daily valsartan monotherapy (80 mg for two weeks, followed by 160 mg for eight weeks) in 195 Chinese patients with mild to moderate hypertension, using office, home, and ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring. Significant mean reductions (P<0.0001) were observed in office BP from baseline to week 10, with mean sitting systolic BP (MSSBP) and mean sitting diastolic BP (MSDBP) values of 15.6±12.3 and 11.1±8.6 mmHg, respectively. The office BP control rate at week 10 was 56.9% (target MSSBP/MSDBP <130/80 mmHg for patients with type 2 diabetes or chronic kidney disease, <140/90 mmHg for others). Valsartan treatment significantly reduced mean 24-h SBP/DBP (-6.1/-4.4 mmHg; both P<0.0001) and mean home-monitored SBP/DBP (-13.3/-9.1 mmHg; both P<0.0001) at week 10. The incidence of adverse events (AEs) leading to discontinuation (1.5%) or drug-related AEs (3.1%) was low, with no instances of mortality or drug-related serious AEs. These results indicate that 160 mg valsartan is safe and effective at lowering BP in Chinese patients with mild to moderate hypertension. The significant reductions in office-based and out-of-office BP measures support the clinical relevance of moderate-dose valsartan monotherapy for effective 24-h BP control.

Efficacy and tolerability of a single-pill combination of telmisartan 80 mg and hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg according to age, gender, race, hypertension severity, and previous antihypertensive use: planned analyses of a randomized trial

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this work was to describe the efficacy and safety of a telmisartan 80 mg + hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg (T80/H25) single-pill combination therapy in patients with moderate-severe hypertension (mean seated trough cuff systolic blood pressure [BP] ≥ 160 mmHg and diastolic BP ≥ 100 mmHg) in specific patient subpopulations.

METHODS

This was a planned analysis of a double-blind, multicenter, parallel-group trial that demonstrated the superiority of a single-pill combination of T80/H25 versus T80 monotherapy in terms of systolic BP change from baseline to week 7. Subpopulations included older (aged ≥ 65 years) versus younger, gender, race, hypertension severity, and prior antihypertensive therapy. Endpoints were change from baseline in mean seated trough cuff systolic and diastolic BP, proportion of patients achieving their BP goal (systolic/diastolic BP < 140/90 mmHg), and proportion of patients attaining systolic BP reductions of >30 mmHg and >40 mmHg.

RESULTS

Across all subgroups, the T80/H25 single-pill combination provided consistently greater systolic and diastolic BP reductions than T80 and more patients had systolic BP reductions of >30 mmHg. In the T80 and T80/H25 groups, BP control was achieved in 34.1% and 48.8% of men, 35.5% and 62.7% of women, 34.5% and 56.6% of Asians, 22.6% and 38.6% of blacks, 36.7% and 57.8% of whites, 36.9% and 57.5% of patients < 65 years, 29.3% and 49.3% ≥65 years, 44.2% and 66.2% of those with grade 2 hypertension, 20.4% and 39.4% of those with grade 3 hypertension, 38.9% and 53.2% of previously untreated patients, 38.1% and 62.5% of patients previously treated with one antihypertensive, and 29.7% and 48.9% of patients previously treated with two or more antihypertensive agents respectively. Treatment was generally well tolerated across the patient subgroups.

CONCLUSION

The T80/H25 single-pill combination provides consistent BP reductions and higher goal attainment rates versus T80 across a range of hypertensive patient subgroups, which are likely to have a positive impact on patients' cardiovascular risk.

A patient-centric goal in time to blood pressure control from drug therapy initiation

A time frame in which newly diagnosed hypertensive patients attain blood pressure (BP) goal would guide patients through uncertainty associated with initiating drug therapy for hypertension control. This study estimates time to BP goal resulting from drug therapy initiation among real-world hypertensive patients and identifies factors associated with variations in time to BP goal. The study uses a historical cohort design. Hypertensive patients who had initiated antihypertensive drug therapy between July 1, 2002, and December 31, 2003, were followed up to 12 months until the end of 2004. Electronic medical records from a medical group were linked with pharmacy claims, as well as with medical claims. Survival analyses were used to compare lengths of time needed to reach BP goals. A total of 223 patients from a real world practice setting had initiated antihypertensive drug therapy. The patients took 3.25 months (95% CI: 2.49-4.82) to reach BP goal. The patient-centric time to BP goal was 7.1 weeks longer than those reported in controlled experimental settings. This finding highlights the gap between results of controlled clinical trials and their application to clinical practice, and informs healthcare practitioners of the importance of setting a patient-centric goal in pharmacological treatment of hypertension.

Valsartan plus hydrochlorothiazide for first-line therapy in hypertension

Goal blood pressure levels are only being achieved in approximately a third of hypertensive patients, which suggests that there is a need for new and/or improved approaches to the treatment of hypertension. The majority of patients with hypertension require combination therapy to control their blood pressure. The use of a combination of drugs with complementary mechanisms of action may provide greater efficacy and tolerability compared with monotherapy, and may allow more rapid achievement of target blood pressure. Moreover, the use of single-pill combinations has the potential to increase adherence and persistence, and reduce costs. The single-pill combination of valsartan plus hydrochlorothiazide was recently approved by the US FDA for first-line use in hypertensive patients who are likely to need multiple drugs to achieve their blood pressure goals. The focus of this article is on those randomized, double-blind trials in which this combination was administered as first-line therapy in patients with essential hypertension.