Medication of the month. Exforge HCT: combination of amlodipine besylate, valsartan and hydrochlorothiazide in a single tablet].

P Lancellotti

Revue médicale de Liège 2010 Jul-Aug

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Because of the multifactorial nature of hypertension, most patients require combination therapy to achieve blood pressure control. Very often the antihypertensive regimen includes a renin-angiotensin system blocker, a calcium channel blocker, and a diuretic. Currently, several associations combining two antihypertensive agents with complementary mechanisms of action are available. These combination therapies are more efficient to control blood pressure through synergistic and additive effects, can reach target blood pressure more quickly, are likely to attenuate the side effects of each molecule, and could improve patient adherence. Exforge HCT is the first fixed-dose combination of three antihypertensive drugs including amlodipine besylate, valsartan and hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) in a single pill. The association of these three drugs improves, with an equal tolerance, blood pressure control compared to dual therapies (valsartan/HCTZ, amlodipine/valsartan, or HCTZ/amlodipine). This triple therapy attenuates the diuretic-induced hypokalemia. The benefits of triple therapy over dual therapy are observed regardless of age, sex, race, ethnicity, or baseline mean sitting systolic blood pressure. Exforge HCT is currently indicated for the treatment of essential hypertension, as replacement therapy for adult patients whose blood pressure is adequately controlled by the combination of amlodipine, valsartan and HCTZ.

Citation

P Lancellotti. Medication of the month. Exforge HCT: combination of amlodipine besylate, valsartan and hydrochlorothiazide in a single tablet]. Revue médicale de Liège. 2010 Jul-Aug;65(7-8):471-5