Saving lives: Long-term morbidity and mortality trials with selective angiotensin receptor blocker therapy

Prospective randomised trials have demonstrated convincingly the benefits of drug treatment of hypertension. Treatment with conventional antihypertensive agents reduces the incidence of cardiovascular events by about that which would be expected from epidemiological data for the achieved difference in blood pressure. Newer agents, such as angiotensin II receptor blockers, have potential for benefits beyond blood pressure reduction. This rationale is under evaluation in a number of long-term morbidity and mortality trials which will report over the next few years, with the largest, VALUE, due to provide results in 2004. The findings from these trials will be decisive in determining the future role of this important new class of drugs.