To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: ASH: Perindopril Erbumine Effective in Elderly Hypertensives URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/2155BA.htm Doctor's Guide May 17, 2002
By Jill Stein Special to DG News NEW YORK, NY -- May 17, 2002 -- Monotherapy with perindopril erbumine is safe and effective for managing hypertension in elderly patients and significantly improves pulse pressure after 12 weeks, researchers say. Dr. Alicia Pohorville, with Solvay Pharmaceuticals in Marietta, Georgia, United States, and colleagues conducted an efficacy and safety analysis in 2,269 elderly patients who were treated with the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor perindopril for their hypertension. She presented the results here today at the 17th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Society of Hypertension (ASH). Dr. Pohorville and colleagues selected their study subjects from a large, 12-week, open-label community study. All selected patients were treated with perindopril 4 mg/day for six weeks and could be titrated to 8 mg/day for another six weeks, depending on blood pressure response. After 12 weeks of treatment, perindopril produced a significant decrease in systolic pressure (-18.2+/-0.5 mm Hg) and diastolic pressure (-8.9+/-0.3 mm Hg). The decrease in systolic pressure produced a significant narrowing of pulse pressure -- an index of safety -- in elderly patients with systolic hypertension. At week 12 follow-up, blood pressure control, defined as blood pressure <140/90 mm Hg, systolic pressure <140 mm Hg or diastolic pressure <90 mm Hg, systolic pressure <140 mm Hg, and diastolic pressure <90 mm Hg, was achieved in 40 percent; 85 percent; 43 percent; and 81 percent of patients, respectively. Perindopril treatment controlled blood pressure in a significant number of patients who were inadequately controlled on prior ACE inhibitor therapy, and the antihypertensive effect of perindopril was well maintained through the 12-week treatment period. The frequency of adverse effects was similar in persons 65 years of age or older and in younger patients (24.6 percent and 20.7 percent for the two age groups, respectively). Overall, 9.2 percent of older patients reported cough versus 7.2 percent of younger patients. Postural hypotension occurred in 0.1 percent and 0.0 percent of the two groups, respectively. The very low incidence of postural hypotension seen with perindopril in this population is significant, as elderly are at risk for such events with antihypertensive agents, Dr. Pohorville said. Overall, the safety profile of perindopril is favorable for elderly hypertensive patients due to significantly less substantial first-dose reductions in blood pressure than other ACE inhibitors, the maintenance of cerebral perfusion at effective blood pressure-lowering doses, and an improvement in large arterial wall compliance in hypertensive patients, she added. This latter effect, she said, is probably due to its attenuating influence on pulse pressure. The study was supported by Solvay Pharmaceuticals. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. P\S\L shall not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this content or any other content on its sites, newsletters or other publications, nor for any decisions or actions taken in reliance on such content. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This news story was printed from *Doctor's Guide to the Internet* located at http://www.docguide.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to News Story Page This site is maintained by webmaster@pslgroup.com Please contact us with any comments, problems or bugs. All contents Copyright (c) 1998 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved.