Losartan/hydrochlorothiazide combination is safe and effective for morning hypertension in Very-Elderly patients

Morning hypertension is an independent risk for cerebrovascular and cardiovascular events. Although the prevalence of morning hypertension increases with age, treatment of morning hypertension has not been established, particularly in Very-Elderly patients. We compared the safety and efficacy of a losartan/hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) combination in controlling morning hypertension between Very-Elderly (≥75 years) and Young/Elderly patients (<75 years). This study was a subanalysis of the Morning Hypertension and Angiotensin Receptor Blocker/Hydrochlorothiazide Combination Therapy study, in which patients with morning hypertension (≥135/85 mmHg) received a 50-mg losartan/12.5-mg HCTZ combination tablet (combination therapy) or 100-mg losartan (high-dose therapy) for 3 months. High adherence rates and few adverse effects were observed in Very-Elderly patients receiving combination (n = 32) and high-dose (n = 34) therapies and in Young/Elderly patients receiving combination (n = 69) and high-dose (n = 66) therapies. Baseline morning systolic BP (SBP) was similar in both age groups receiving either therapy. Morning SBP was reduced by 20.2 and 18.1 mmHg with combination therapy and by 7.1 and 9.1 mmHg with high-dose therapy in the Very-Elderly and Young/Elderly patients, respectively. Morning BP target (<135/85 mmHg) was achieved in 40.6% and 55.1% by combination therapy and in 14.7% and 24.2% by high-dose therapy in the Very-Elderly and Young/Elderly patients, respectively. Neither therapy changed renal function and serum potassium in Very-Elderly patients. In conclusion, the losartan/HCTZ combination was safe and effective in controlling morning hypertension in Very-Elderly as well as Young/Elderly patients. In addition, combination therapy was also superior to high-dose therapy for lowering morning SBP in Very-Elderly patients.

Maladaptive immune and inflammatory pathways lead to cardiovascular insulin resistance

Insulin resistance is a hallmark of obesity, the cardiorenal metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The progression of insulin resistance increases the risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). The significance of insulin resistance is underscored by the alarming rise in the prevalence of obesity and its associated comorbidities in the Unites States and worldwide over the last 40-50 years. The incidence of obesity is also on the rise in adolescents. Furthermore, premenopausal women have lower CVD risk compared to men, but this protection is lost in the setting of obesity and insulin resistance. Although systemic and cardiovascular insulin resistance is associated with impaired insulin metabolic signaling and cardiovascular dysfunction, the mechanisms underlying insulin resistance and cardiovascular dysfunction remain poorly understood. Recent studies show that insulin resistance in obesity and diabetes is linked to a metabolic inflammatory response, a state of systemic and tissue specific chronic low grade inflammation. Evidence is also emerging that there is polarization of macrophages and lymphocytes towards a pro-inflammatory phenotype that contributes to progression of insulin resistance in obesity, cardiorenal metabolic syndrome and diabetes. In this review, we provide new insights into factors, such as, the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, sympathetic activation and incretin modulators (e.g., DPP-4) and immune responses that mediate this inflammatory state in obesity and other conditions characterized by insulin resistance.