Telmisartan and hydrochlorothiazide combination therapy for the treatment of hypertension

BACKGROUND: Control of elevated blood pressure has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events. The angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB), telmisartan, has been shown to provide effective 24-hour blood pressure control. Additional antihypertensive efficacy can be achieved by combining telmisartan with the thiazide diuretic hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ). OBJECTIVE: To review the clinical data in combination therapy with telmisartan and HCTZ. METHODS: Search of Medline and Embase for published clinical studies using the keywords telmisartan and HCTZ. FINDINGS: The telmisartan/HCTZ combination provides significant reductions in blood pressure, effective 24-hour blood pressure control and is well-tolerated. Blood pressure reductions with this combination are greater than those achieved with either drug alone, and in comparative studies telmisartan/HCTZ is more effective than other ARB/HCTZ combinations. However, it should be noted that some of the combinations assessed used doses of the drugs that were commercially available at the time of the trial and not higher doses that have been shown to have greater antihypertensive efficacy. CONCLUSION: The combination of telmisartan/HCTZ is an effective and well-tolerated treatment option for patients with hypertension.