Clinical Interventions in Aging (Oct 2015)
Olmesartan vs ramipril in the treatment of hypertension and associated clinical conditions in the elderly: a reanalysis of two large double blind, randomized studies at the light of the most recent blood pressure targets recommended by guidelines
Abstract
Stefano Omboni,1 Ettore Malacco,2 Jean-Michel Mallion,3 Massimo Volpe4,5 1Clinical Research Unit, Italian Institute of Telemedicine, Solbiate Arno, Varese, Italy; 2Department of Internal Medicine, Ospedale L Sacco, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; 3Cardiology and Arterial Hypertension, CHU de Grenoble, Grenoble, France; 4Division of Cardiology, II Faculty of Medicine, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy; 5IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, Isernia, Italy Abstract: In this paper, we present the results of a reanalysis of the data of two large randomized, double-blind, parallel group studies with a similar design, comparing the efficacy of an angiotensin-receptor blocker (olmesartan medoxomil) with that of an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ramipril), by applying two different blood pressure targets recently recommended by hypertension guidelines for all patients, irrespective of the presence of diabetes (<140/90 mmHg), and for elderly hypertensive patients (<150/90 mmHg). The efficacy of olmesartan was not negatively affected by age, sex, hypertension type, diabetes status or other concomitant clinical conditions, or cardiovascular risk factors. In most cases, olmesartan provided better blood pressure control than ramipril. Olmesartan was significantly more effective than ramipril in male patients, in younger patients (aged 65–69 years), in those with metabolic syndrome, obesity, dyslipidemia, preserved renal function, diastolic ± systolic hypertension, and, in general, in patients with a high or very high cardiovascular risk. Interestingly, patients previously untreated or treated with two or more antihypertensive drugs showed a significantly larger response with olmesartan than with ramipril. Thus, our results confirm the good efficacy of olmesartan in elderly hypertensives even when new blood pressure targets for antihypertensive treatment are considered. Such results may be relevant for the clinical practice, providing some hint on the possible different response of elderly hypertensive patients to two different drugs acting on the renin–angiotensin system, when patients are targeted according to the blood pressure levels recommended by recent hypertension guidelines. Keywords: arterial hypertension, elderly, guidelines, olmesartan medoxomil, ramipril
