Efficacy and Safety of Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers in Elderly Patients With Mild to Moderate Hypertension

The role of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in the pathogenesis of hypertensive disease has long been recognized, and the interruption of this cascade with angiotensin-converting enzyme-I has been beneficial in the management of hypertension. Recently, a new class of drugs, the angiotensin receptor blockers, emerged, enlarging the antihypertensive armamentarium. Since elderly patients are more prone to adverse drug reactions, in this paper we review several trials, most of which were of short duration, on the efficacy and safety of angiotensin receptor blockers in the geriatric population with mild to moderate hypertension. These studies established that the drugs are well-tolerated, safe, and in most instances as efficacious as other classes of antihypertensive medications. Combination therapy with angiotensin receptor blockers and hydrochlorothiazide was additive, without any significant effect on the safety profile.