Key result
Olmesartan treatment for 6 weeks in primary care patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension significantly reduced blood pressure (-22.8/-11.5 mmHg, P<0.001) and improved quality of life.
Why the study?
Does olmesartan improve quality of life and reduce blood pressure in primary care patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension?
Observational (n=4,252)
Does olmesartan improve quality of life and reduce blood pressure in primary care patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension?
p-value: p=<0.001
In primary care patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension, olmesartan treatment significantly reduces blood pressure and improves quality of life over 6 weeks.
Associated with short-term BP reduction and QoL gains in mild hypertension; leaves open need for randomized confirmation before practice change.
OBJECTIVE: Differences in quality of life (QoL) using antihypertensive drugs may account for differences in compliance, persistence and blood pressure control. As this is the prerequisite for cardiovascular risk reduction, QoL was investigated using highly tolerable drugs (such as olmesartan). RESEARCH DESIGN/METHODS: The non-interventional study was carried out in 4252 primary care patients with 6 weeks of follow up. Documentation of patient characteristics included concomitant diseases and antihypertensive medication, blood pressure, pulse pressure, pulse rate and evaluation of QoL using the SF-12 questionnaire. Comparison of data at 6 weeks after adding or switching to olmesartan treatment (median dose: 20 mg) with baseline values. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patients had mild-to-moderate hypertension, 52.6% of whom were male and the mean age was 60.5 +/- 11.9 years. Dyslipidaemia (38.3%), diabetes (20.9%) and coronary heart disease (16.4%) were the most frequent concomitant diseases. After 6 weeks, blood pressure was reduced by -22.8 +/- 14.1/-11.5 +/- 8.3 mmHg (p < 0.001 versus baseline). All items of the SF-12 questionnaire and both sum scores improved over the course of treatment (p < 0.001 versus baseline), and were well compatible with non-hypertensive controls. Improvements were higher when switching from alpha-blockers, calcium channel blockers, beta-blockers, diuretics and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors as compared with angiotensin II type 1 receptors blockers (ARBs), in particular on the mental health scale (p < 0.001). Adverse events were rare (0.66%), with dizziness (n = 8; 0.19%) being the most frequent. CONCLUSIONS: As was shown in the current study, patients on olmesartan treatment not only achieve adequate blood pressure control but also experienced a substantial improvement of QoL. This may contribute to long-term blood pressure control using ARBs.
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Schmidt et al. (2008) conducted an observational in mild-to-moderate hypertension (n=4,252). olmesartan vs. baseline was evaluated on blood pressure and quality of life (SF-12) (p=<0.001). Olmesartan treatment for 6 weeks in primary care patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension significantly reduced blood pressure (-22.8/-11.5 mmHg, P<0.001) and improved quality of life.
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