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Improved Renal Denervation Mitigated Hypertension Induced by Angiotensin II Infusion
Published on: May 26, 2022
[Present-day treatment of arterial hypertension]
1Medizinische Klinik, Friedrich-Ebert-Krankenhaus, Friesenstrasse 11, 24531 Neumünster. andreas.schuchert@fek.de
Insights
Lowering blood pressure below 140/90 mmHg reduces cardiovascular risk. Preferred antihypertensive drugs offer additional benefits for comorbidities, especially for high-risk patients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pharmacology
Context:
- Arterial hypertension management aims to decrease blood pressure below 140/90 mmHg.
- This reduction mitigates cardiovascular disease risk and enhances longevity.
- Five primary drug classes exist: ACE-inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers, beta-receptor blockers, calcium channel blockers, and thiazide diuretics.
Purpose:
- To guide the selection of antihypertensive medications based on efficacy and additional patient benefits.
- To highlight the organ-protective properties of certain drug classes, like renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors.
- To recommend preferred drug combinations for specific patient profiles, including those with high cardiovascular risk, diabetes, heart failure, or coronary heart disease.
Summary:
- All major antihypertensive drug classes effectively lower blood pressure within a similar range.
- Drugs with additional benefits for patient comorbidities should be prioritized.
- Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors offer organ-protective effects, making them crucial for high-risk patients.
Impact:
- Recommends ACE-inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers for patients with high cardiovascular risk (e.g., coronary heart disease, heart failure, diabetes, chronic kidney disease).
- Advocates for initial low-dose combination therapy to achieve target blood pressure more effectively.
- Suggests specific combinations: calcium channel blockers with RAAS inhibitors for diabetics, and RAAS inhibitors with beta-receptor blockers for patients with coronary heart disease or heart failure.
Abstract:
The treatment goal of patients with arterial hypertension is to reduce the blood pressure below 140/90 mmHg with the aim to lower the risk of subsequent cardiovascular diseases and to prolong patient's longevity. There are five main classes for blood pressure treatment: ACE-inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers, beta-receptor blockers, calcium channel blockers, and thiazide diuretics. All these antihypertensive drugs have in common that they are able to lower the arterial blood pressure in a similar range. If drugs have similar effects, those with additional beneficial effects on patient's comorbidity should be preferred. Some antihypertensive drugs such as inhibitors of the renin-angiotensin-aldosteron system (RAAS) additionally have organ protective properties. ACE-inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers should be preferred in patients with a high cardiovascular risk such as coronary heart disease, heart failure, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease. A preferred approach is the initial prescription of a low dose combination to bring more hypertensive patients to their target blood pressure. Most combination drugs contain a thiazide diuretic. A better combination especially for diabetics seems to be a calcium channel blocker together with a RAAS inhibitor. A possible combination for patients with coronary heart disease or heart failure is a RAAS inhibitor combined with a beta-receptor blocker.
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