Perindopril: the evidence of its therapeutic impact in hypertension

INTRODUCTION: Effective antihypertensive therapy reduces the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease and death. Perindopril, a long-acting angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, is an established antihypertensive agent administered as a once-daily tablet. AIMS: To review recent evidence for the use of perindopril in the treatment of hypertension. EVIDENCE REVIEW: Evidence shows that perindopril alone or in combination with other antihypertensive agents can achieve clinically significant reductions in blood pressure after 12 weeks of treatment. There is strong evidence from large randomized studies that perindopril-based therapy reduces the risk of cardiovascular outcomes, including mortality, in patients with coronary artery disease and those who have had a prior stroke or transient ischemic attack. There is also some evidence that these effects are greater than those achieved by blood pressure reduction alone, suggesting other drug-related effects including improvements in endothelial function. Recent results have also shown that an amlodipine ± perindopril regimen prevented more major cardiovascular events than an atenolol-based regimen in patients with hypertension, as a result of better control of blood pressure. Economic evidence from one major study shows that, for most patients, the incremental cost per quality-adjusted life-year gained with perindopril 8 mg was lower than the threshold value of €20 000 (73-92% of patients) in Europe or £20 000 (94% of patients) in the UK. CLINICAL VALUE: There is strong evidence supporting the use of perindopril-based therapy for the treatment of hypertension and reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and death in a wide range of patients with stable coronary artery disease or hypertension.