( tigators. When these data were examin...)Benicar HCT Reductions in Seated Systolic Blood Pressure for Stage,2 Patients Compared With Amlodipine + Benazepril,Health

When these data were examined to determine the blood pressure goal endpoint, more patients treated with the BENICAR HCT study doses reached blood pressure goals recommended by JNC 7 (<140/90 mm Hg and <130/80 mm Hg) than those treated with the amlodipine + benazepril study doses(2). In patients receiving BENICAR HCT combination therapy (40/12.5-40/25 mg), 66 percent achieved a BP goal of <140/90 mm Hg and 33 percent achieved a BP goal of <130/80 mm Hg. In patients receiving amlodipine 5-10 mg + benazepril 20 mg, 45 percent achieved a BP goal of <140/90 mm Hg and 14 percent achieved a BP goal of <130/80 mm Hg.

In specifically examining the highest dose studied in both treatment arms, Dr. Punzi reported that 61 percent of the patients receiving BENICAR HCT 40/25 mg at week 12 reached a goal of BP<140/90 mm Hg, nearly 42 percent reached BP<130/85 mm Hg, and 30 percent reached BP<130/80 mm Hg, compared to 39 percent, 19 percent and 13 percent, respectively, of patients who were treated with amlodipine 10 mg + benazepril 20 mg.

Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, affects approximately 72 million people in the United States and approximately one billion worldwide(3). Called the "silent killer" because it often has no specific symptoms, hypertension increases the risk of cardiovascular and related diseases such as stroke, heart attack, heart failure and kidney disease(4). Of those diagnosed with high blood pressure, 64.9 percent did not have the condition under control(5).

Study Design

The purpose of this study was to compare the blood pressure lowering effect of fixed dose combinations of BENICAR HCT with combinations of amlodipine + benazepril. Patients who failed to achieve the desired goal (<120/80 mm Hg) at any visit underwent dosage titration and were switched to combination therapy and titrated to the maximum available dose at the time of the study.

Patients were randomized to either 2 weeks of double-
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