Improving BP control with combined renin-angiotensin system blockade and thiazide diuretics in hypertensive patients with diabetes mellitus or kidney disease

Drug-induced proarrhythmia: Discussion and considerations for clinical practice

The clinical practice of pharmaceutical medicine includes contributions from physicians, pharmacists, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. Drug safety considerations are of considerable importance. This article discusses drug-induced proarrhythmia, with a specific focus on Torsade de Pointes (Torsade), a polymorphic ventricular tachycardia that typically occurs in self-limiting bursts that can lead to dizziness, palpitations, syncope, and seizures, but on rare occasions can progress to ventricular fibrillation and sudden cardiac death. A dedicated clinical pharmacology study conducted during a drug's clinical development program has assessed its propensity to induce Torsade using prolongation of the QT interval as seen on the surface electrocardiogram (ECG) as a biomarker. Identification of QT-interval prolongation does not necessarily prevent a drug from receiving marketing approval if its overall benefit-risk balance is favorable, but, if approved, a warning is placed in its Prescribing Information. This article explains why drugs can have a proarrhythmic propensity and concludes with a case presentation.

Drug-induced proarrhythmia: Discussion and considerations for clinical practice

Clinical practice includes contributions from physicians, pharmacists, NPs, and physician assistants. Drug safety considerations are of considerable importance. This article discusses drug-induced proarrhythmia, with a specific focus on torsades de pointes, a polymorphic ventricular tachycardia that typically occurs in self-limiting bursts that can lead to dizziness, palpitations, syncope, and seizures, but on rare occasions can progress to ventricular fibrillation and sudden cardiac death. A dedicated clinical pharmacology study conducted during a drug's clinical development program has assessed its propensity to induce torsades using prolongation of the QT interval as seen on the ECG as a biomarker.Identification of QT-interval prolongation does not necessarily prevent a drug from receiving marketing approval if its overall benefit-risk balance is favorable, but, if approved, a warning is placed in its prescribing information. This article explains why drugs can have a proarrhythmic propensity.

Racial and Sex Differences in the Response to First-Line Antihypertensive Therapy

Objective: As compared to whites, the black population develops hypertension (HTN) at an earlier age, has a greater frequency and severity of HTN, and has poorer control of blood pressure (BP). Traditional practices and treatment efforts have had minor impact on these disparities, with over a 2-fold higher death rate currently for blacks as compared to whites. The University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMC) is located in the southeastern US and the Stroke Belt, which has higher rates of HTN and related diseases as compared to the rest of the country. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the UMC's Research Data Warehouse, containing >30 million electronic health records from >900,000 patients to determine the initial BP response following the first prescribed antihypertensive drug. Results: There were 5,973 white (45% overall HTN prevalence) and 10,731 black (57% overall HTN prevalence) patients who met criteria for the study. After controlling for age, BMI, and drug dosage, black males were overall less likely to have controlled BP (defined as < 140/90 mmHg) and were associated with smaller falls in BP as compared to whites and black females. Blockers of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) failed to significantly improve odds of HTN control vs. the untreated group in black patients. However, our data suggests that these drugs do provide significant benefit in blacks when combined with THZ, as compared to untreated and as compared to THZ alone. Conclusion: These data support the use of a single-pill formulation with ARB or ACE inhibitor with a thiazide in blacks for initial first-line HTN therapy and suggests that HTN treatment strategies should consider both race and gender. Our study gives a unique insight into initial antihypertensive responses in actual clinical practice and could have an impact in BP control efficiency in a state with prevalent socioeconomic and racial disparities.

Renal function monitoring in heart failure - what is the optimal frequency? A narrative review

The second most common cause of hospitalization due to adverse drug reactions in the UK is renal dysfunction due to diuretics, particularly in patients with heart failure, where diuretic therapy is a mainstay of treatment regimens. Therefore, the optimal frequency for monitoring renal function in these patients is an important consideration for preventing renal failure and hospitalization. This review looks at the current evidence for optimal monitoring practices of renal function in patients with heart failure according to national and international guidelines on the management of heart failure (AHA/NICE/ESC/SIGN). Current guidance of renal function monitoring is in large part based on expert opinion, with a lack of clinical studies that have specifically evaluated the optimal frequency of renal function monitoring in patients with heart failure. Furthermore, there is variability between guidelines, and recommendations are typically nonspecific. Safer prescribing of diuretics in combination with other antiheart failure treatments requires better evidence for frequency of renal function monitoring. We suggest developing more personalized monitoring rather than from the current medication-based guidance. Such flexible clinical guidelines could be implemented using intelligent clinical decision support systems. Personalized renal function monitoring would be more effective in preventing renal decline, rather than reacting to it.

Rationale and study design of the Prospective comparison of Angiotensin Receptor neprilysin inhibitor with Angiotensin receptor blocker MEasuring arterial sTiffness in the eldERly (PARAMETER) study

INTRODUCTION

Hypertension in elderly people is characterised by elevated systolic blood pressure (SBP) and increased pulse pressure (PP), which indicate large artery ageing and stiffness. LCZ696, a first-in-class angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI), is being developed to treat hypertension and heart failure. The Prospective comparison of Angiotensin Receptor neprilysin inhibitor with Angiotensin receptor blocker MEasuring arterial sTiffness in the eldERly (PARAMETER) study will assess the efficacy of LCZ696 versus olmesartan on aortic stiffness and central aortic haemodynamics.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

In this 52-week multicentre study, patients with hypertension aged ≥60 years with a mean sitting (ms) SBP ≥150 to <180 and a PP>60 mm Hg will be randomised to once daily LCZ696 200 mg or olmesartan 20 mg for 4 weeks, followed by a forced-titration to double the initial doses for the next 8 weeks. At 12-24 weeks, if the BP target has not been attained (msSBP <140 and ms diastolic BP <90 mm Hg), amlodipine (2.5-5 mg) and subsequently hydrochlorothiazide (6.25-25 mg) can be added. The primary and secondary endpoints are changes from baseline in central aortic systolic pressure (CASP) and central aortic PP (CAPP) at week 12, respectively. Other secondary endpoints are the changes in CASP and CAPP at week 52. A sample size of 432 randomised patients is estimated to ensure a power of 90% to assess the superiority of LCZ696 over olmesartan at week 12 in the change from baseline of mean CASP, assuming an SD of 19 mm Hg, the difference of 6.5 mm Hg and a 15% dropout rate. The primary variable will be analysed using a two-way analysis of covariance.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The study was initiated in December 2012 and final results are expected in 2015. The results of this study will impact the design of future phase III studies assessing cardiovascular protection.

CLINICAL TRIALS IDENTIFIER

EUDract number 2012-002899-14 and ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01692301.

Significance of estimated salt excretion as a possible predictor of the efficacy of concomitant angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) and low-dose thiazide in patients with ARB resistance

The purpose of this study was to assess the factors affecting the efficacy of combination therapy with losartan and thiazide, with a focus on the significance of salt excretion, via a multicenter observational study. Adult patients with essential hypertension showing therapy resistance to angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) as a monotherapy or in combination with Ca channel blockers (CCB) were enrolled, and their previously administered ARBs were replaced with the combination tablet containing losartan (50 mg per day) and hydrochlorothiazide (12.5 mg per day). Blood pressure and biochemical parameters were monitored for a year. The baseline blood pressure (153.4±14.8/86.4±11.3 mm Hg) was significantly lowered at the 3rd month (137.3±17.4/78.2±11.1 mm Hg, n=93) and was maintained at this lower level until the 12th month (135.3±14.0/76.4±11.1 mm Hg, n=74). The baseline value of estimated salt excretion (eSE), calculated using Tanaka's formula, differed significantly between the high and low treatment response groups, which were defined by the average change in mean blood pressure (MBP-C, -11.3 mm Hg; eSE=10.8±2.9 g per day in high responders vs. 9.2±2.3 g per day in low responders, P=0.004). Univariate and multivariate analyses showed a significant correlation between eSE and MBP-C (R=-0.288, P=0.007) and indicated the clinical effectiveness of eSE as a possible predictor for MBP-C (P=0.021). In addition, the urine Na-to-Cr ratio (NCR) demonstrated significant correlations with eSE (R=0.848, P<0.001) and MBP-C (R=-0.344, P<0.001). These results suggest that eSE or NCR could, to a certain extent, predict the efficacy of combination therapy with losartan and low-dose thiazide in patients demonstrating ARB resistance. Combination therapy with losartan and thiazide might thus be suitable for patients with a large amount of salt excretion.

Introducing candesartan 32 mg plus hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg in previously untreated patients with severe essential hypertension

Purpose

To investigate the efficacy of candesartan 32 mg and hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) 25 mg combination in patients with severe essential hypertension.

Patients and methods

In this prospective, open-label, single-group study, 106 previously untreated patients with a baseline systolic blood pressure (SBP) of 150–200 mmHg, and a diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of 110 to 120 mmHg, started with candesartan 16 mg during the first week. HCTZ 12.5 mg was added at week 2 and from fourth week onwards candesartan 32 mg plus HCTZ 25 mg was given over 6 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint was mean reduction in SBP and DBP after 9 weeks. Response was defined as a decrease in SBP to <140 mmHg and/or by ≥20 mmHg and in DBP to <90 mmHg and/or by ≥10 mmHg. A second response criterion defined blood pressure reduction below 140/90 mmHg.

Results

Blood pressure was lowered from 180.0 ± 11.7/114.7 ± 3.1 mmHg by SBP 44.4 ± 16.8 and DBP 32.0 ± 11.3 mmHg (P < 0.0001). Response was 92.4% and 64.8% achieved <140/90 mmHg. Each titration step produced a statistically significant and clinically relevant decrease in SBP and DBP, but a level below 140/90 mmHg was achieved by >50% of the patients only after the third titration step. Adverse reactions were reported by 3.8% of the patients. The disorders were in line with the known safety profile of the study drugs.

Conclusion

A stepped treatment approach with candesartan/HCTZ combinations is effective and safe to achieve a swift blood pressure reduction in newly diagnosed, severe hypertension. The target of <140/90 mmHg was reached by >50% of the patients only after taking the full dose of candesartan 32 mg and HCTZ 25 mg.

Effectiveness of initiating treatment with valsartan/hydrochlorothiazide in patients with stage-1 or stage-2 hypertension

This prospective, 6-week, multicenter, double-blind study examined the benefits of initiating treatment with combination valsartan/hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) compared with initial valsartan monotherapy for 648 patients with stage-1 or stage-2 hypertension (age=52.6±10 years; 54% male; baseline blood pressure (BP)=161/98 mm Hg, 32% stage 1). Patients were randomized to valsartan 80 mg (V-low), valsartan 160 mg (V-high) or valsartan/HCTZ 160/12.5 mg (V/HCTZ), and electively titrated after weeks 2 and 4 to the next dosage level (maximum dose valsartan/HCTZ 160/25 mg) if BP remained >140/90 mm Hg. At end of the study, patients initiated with V/HCTZ required less titration steps compared with the initial valsartan monotherapy groups (63 vs 86% required titration by study end, respectively) and reached the target BP goal of <140/90 mm Hg in a shorter period of time (2.8 weeks) (P<0.0001) vs V-low (4.3 weeks) and V-high (3.9 weeks). Initial combination therapy was also associated with higher BP control rates and greater reductions in both systolic and diastolic BP from baseline (63%, −27.7±13/–15.1±8 mm Hg) compared with V-low (46%, −21.2±13/−11.4±8 mm Hg, P<0.0001) or V-high (51%, −24.0±13/−12.0±10 mm Hg, P<0.01). Overall and drug-related AEs were mild to moderate and were similar between V/HCTZ (53.1 and 14.1%, respectively) and the two monotherapy groups, V-low (50.5 and 13.8%) and V-high (50.7 and 11.8%). In conclusion, initiating therapy with a combination of valsartan and low-dose HCTZ results in early, improved BP efficacy with similar tolerability as compared with starting treatment with a low or higher dose of valsartan for patients with stage-1 and stage-2 hypertension.

Choice of ACE inhibitor combinations in hypertensive patients with type 2 diabetes: update after recent clinical trials

The diabetes epidemic continues to grow unabated, with a staggering toll in micro- and macrovascular complications, disability, and death. Diabetes causes a two- to fourfold increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease, and represents the first cause of dialysis treatment both in the UK and the US. Concomitant hypertension doubles total mortality and stroke risk, triples the risk of coronary heart disease and significantly hastens the progression of microvascular complications, including diabetic nephropathy. Therefore, blood pressure reduction is of particular importance in preventing cardiovascular and renal outcomes. Successful antihypertensive treatment will often require a combination therapy, either with separate drugs or with fixed-dose combinations. Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor plus diuretic combination therapy improves blood pressure control, counterbalances renin-angiotensin system activation due to diuretic therapy and reduces the risk of electrolyte alterations, obtaining at the same time synergistic antiproteinuric effects. ACE inhibitor plus calcium channel blocker provides a significant additive effect on blood pressure reduction, may have favorable metabolic effects and synergistically reduce proteinuria and the rate of decline in glomerular filtration rate, as evidenced by the GUARD trial. Finally, the recently published ACCOMPLISH trial showed that an ACE inhibitor/calcium channel blocker combination may be particularly useful in reducing cardiovascular outcomes in high-risk patients. The present review will focus on different ACE inhibitor combinations in the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension, in the light of recent clinical trials, including GUARD and ACCOMPLISH.