Antihypertensive effectiveness of combination therapy with losartan/hydrochlorothiazide for 'real world' management of isolated systolic hypertension.

OBJECTIVES: The guidelines for hypertension require the presence of compelling indications for pharmacological management of hypertension associated with various diseases. Data mainly obtained through randomized controlled trials have provided evidence supporting effectiveness of the combination of losartan (Lo) and hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) for management of hypertensive patients. However, there have been few reports discussing the effectiveness of Lo/HTCZ (losartan 50 mg/hydrochlorothizide 12.5 mg) in the 'real world' in the management of isolated systolic hypertension (ISH). This study was designed to investigate the 'real world' effectiveness of Lo/HTCZ-based treatment of ISH associated with various diseases.

METHODS: This was a retrospective, uncontrolled analysis of data derived from a large, cross-sectional web-based clinical database collected by physicians.

RESULTS: Of 24,825 eligible patients, 20,726 were followed during a 6-month period. Among these, subjects for analysis included those with systolic blood pressure (SBP) >140 mmHg and diastolic BP (DBP) <90 mmHg; patients with diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease were excluded. A total of 15,846 patients were analysed. Among the various complications, hypercholesterolemia was the most frequent concomitant cardiovascular (CV) risk factor (48.1%), followed by obesity (16.3%). Associated clinical conditions were cerebrovascular diseases (9.6%), ischemic heart disease (7.9%) and left ventricular hypertrophy (4.6%). Total numbers of patients exhibiting any type of complications were 62% (≤64 years old), 69% (65-74 years old) and 67% (≥75 years old) (stratification of age). Mean SBP/DBP measurements (mm Hg) were 156/78 at the start, 140/72 at 1 month and 134/72 at 6 months. Blood pressure (BP) reductions associated with various diseases were similar among patients. Laboratory data including serum levels of total cholesterol, uric acid, hemoglobin A1c and serum potassium did not change during the study. Adverse effects such as orthostatic hypotension and considerable reductions in BP (>30 mmHg SBP) were rare.

CONCLUSIONS: Lo/HTCZ is safe and effective in reducing and improving BP control in a 'real world' setting. Treatment with Lo/HTCZ enabled a substantial proportion of hypertensive patients with associated diseases to achieve the recommended goal of <140 mm Hg.