Valsartan/hydrochlorothiazide: pharmacology and clinical efficacy

BACKGROUND: Valsartan/hydrochlorothiazide is a combination of an angiotensin II receptor antagonist and diuretic indicated for hypertensive patients as initial therapy and those not controlled on monotherapy. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic and clinical efficacy of valsartan/hydrochlorothiazide in hypertension therapy and other cardiovascular outcomes. METHODS: Review of current literature. RESULTS: Valsartan/hydrochlorothiazide has been shown to be superior to its individual components in randomized controlled studies of patients with moderate-to-severe hypertension and in patients who did not respond to monotherapy. When compared to amlodipine, valsartan/hydrochlorothiazide was shown to have a similar rate of the combined outcome of morbidity and mortality. Valsartan/hydrochlorothiazide has also been studied in specific patient populations, such as diabetics, obese, elderly, black hypertensives and hypertensives with further cardiovascular risk factors, and has been shown to be efficacious in such populations. CONCLUSION: Valsartan/hydrochlorothiazide has been shown to be an efficacious fixed-dose combination antihypertensive agent that is well tolerated with few side effects.