Combination of aliskiren and amlodipine in hypertension

Abstract

Hypertension frequently resists control with monotherapy, requiring two or more antihypertensive agents in combination. Many antihypertensive fixed-dose combinations (FDCs) combine drugs with different, but complementary, mechanisms of action to improve overall efficacy and tolerability. Antihypertensive FDCs may provide significant advantages over high-dose monotherapy, such as improved efficacy in blood pressure control, reduced adverse events, improved patient compliance and lower treatment costs. Optimal blockade of the reninangiotensin-aldosterone system is a key goal of pharmacotherapy in cardiovascular as well as in renal disease. As the conversion of angiotensinogen into angiotensin I is the rate-limiting step in the synthesis of angiotensin II, it has been suggested that renin inhibitors like aliskiren may have comparable or superior clinical efficacy to angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs). Evidences supports that amlodipine, a calcium channel blocker is safe and effective antihypertensive agent. Various clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy and tolerability of amlodipine in combination with ACE inhibitors and ARBs. By reviewing the clinical trials of combination of aliskiren and amlodipine in hypertensive patients, it has been found that this US FDA approved combination is effective in reducing blood pressure and having better safety profile.