Beating the clock: reducing cardiovascular risk by rapid blood pressure reduction with olmesartan

Hypertension is a major cardiovascular risk factor, and treatment guidelines acknowledge the value not only of reducing elevated blood pressure (BP) to target levels (< 140/90 mmHg and < 130/80 mmHg in patients with diabetes or those at high cardiovascular risk) but also of doing this rapidly.

The importance of rapid BP control has been demonstrated by trials like the Valsartan Antihypertensive Long-term Use Evaluation trial. Combination therapy provides greater efficacy than monotherapy and reduces BP more rapidly. Combining angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) with agents from other classes, like calcium channel blockers or diuretics, is an established way to provide effective, rapid and well-tolerated BP reduction.

Although ARBs are widely used as mono- and combination therapy, it is not widely appreciated that there are differences between these drugs in efficacy and speed of action. The ARB olmesartan medoxomil provides rapid reductions in BP as monotherapy and combination therapy, with large BP reductions observed within the first few weeks of treatment.

In addition to controlling BP, speed of onset of action is an important factor in the management of hypertensive patients and treatments that lower BP rapidly should help to reduce cardiovascular risk.