A combination pill of losartan and hydrochlorothiazide did not significantly improve medication adherence compared to separate pills in Japanese hypertensive patients over 6 months, with both groups achieving 98% adherence.
RCT (n=207)
Open-label
Randomly assigned
Yes
Does a combination pill of antihypertensive drugs improve medication adherence and blood pressure control in Japanese hypertensive subjects?
A combination pill of losartan and hydrochlorothiazide did not improve medication adherence or blood pressure control compared to separate pills over 6 months in Japanese hypertensive patients.
Absolute Event Rate: 98% vs 98%
p-value: p=0.89
BACKGROUND: In order to achieve target blood pressure levels to prevent cardiovascular disease, combination therapy of antihypertensive drugs is often required, although it is thought that requiring a patient to take many different pills would reduce adherence to the medication regimen. Whether antihypertensive treatment with a single pill combining antihypertensive drugs would improve medication adherence and blood pressure control was investigated. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 207 hypertensive subjects were randomly assigned to a combination pill group (losartan 50mg/hydrochlorothiazide 12.5mg; n=103) or a control group (an angiotensin receptor blocker and a thiazide diuretic; n=104). Medication adherence was evaluated by pill counts at 1, 3, and 6 months after randomization. The mean adherence rates over 6 months were not different between the 2 groups: 98% in the combination pill group and 98% in the control group. Moreover, the 2 groups included similar numbers of subjects with relatively poor adherence rates (<90%) in each treatment period. The mean blood pressures over the 6-month treatment period were not different between the groups: 131/75 mmHg in the combination pill group and 130/75 mmHg in the control group (P=0.84/0.96). CONCLUSIONS: There were no appreciable effects of the combination pill of antihypertensive drugs on medication adherence or blood pressure control in Japanese patients over a 6-month period.
Matsumura et al. (Sun,) conducted a rct in Hypertension (n=207). Combination pill (losartan/hydrochlorothiazide) vs. Separate pills of an ARB and a thiazide diuretic was evaluated on Mean medication adherence rate over 6 months (p=0.89). A combination pill of losartan and hydrochlorothiazide did not significantly improve medication adherence compared to separate pills in Japanese hypertensive patients over 6 months, with both groups achieving 98% adherence.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: