Original research: Telmisartan plus amlodipine in patients with moderate or severe hypertension: Results from a subgroup analysis of a randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, 4 x 4 factorial study

Background: Patients with moderate-to-severe hypertension frequently require ≥ 2 antihypertensives to achieve blood pressure (BP) control. An angiotensin receptor blocker(ARB) plus a calcium channel blocker (CCB) seems particularly attractive for these difficult-to-control patients. Methods: Patients with Stage 1 or 2 hypertension were randomized to telmisartan 0, 20, 40, or 80 mg plus amlodipine 0, 2.5, 5, or 10 mg for 8 weeks. Only those with a diastolic BP (DBP) ≥ 100 mm Hg at baseline were included in (his subgroup analysis. The primary endpoint was the change in the in-clinic seated trough cuff DBP from baseline to study end for combination versus respective monotherapies. Secondary endpoints included the change in the in-clinic seated trough systolic BP (SBP), BP response, and control rates. Results: A total of 1078 patients (mean [standard deviation] baseline in-clinic BP: 154.7 ± 11.7/103.5 ± 3.5 mm Hg) were analyzed. In-clinic DBP and SBP reductions were significantly greater with combination therapies than respective monotherapies. The greatest least-square mean (standard error) SBP/DBP reductions (-26.5 ± 1.2/-21 ± 0.8 mm Hg) were observed with telmisartan 80 mg plus amlodipine 10 mg; 77% and 85% of patients in this treatment group achieved BP control (< 140/90 mm Hg) and DBP control (< 90 mm Hg), respectively. Peripheral edema was reported in 17.2% of patients in the amlodipine 10 mg group; however, this was substantially lower when telmisartan was used in combination: 7% (telmisartan 40 mg/amlodipine 10 mg) and 9.5% (telmisartan 80 mg/amlodipine 10 mg). Conclusions: Telmisartan plus amlodipine provides effective BP lowering at all clinically relevant doses (up to -26.5 mm Hg SBP), and almost 9 out of 10 patients may achieve DBP control. Peripheral edema is up to 59% less when telmisartan 40 mg is used in combination with amlodipine 10 mg compared with amlodipine 10 mg monotherapy alone. © Postgraduate Medicine.