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Aliskiren/amlodipine combination for the treatment of hypertension

Scott S Billecke1, P A Marcovitz

  • 1William Beaumont Hospital, Ministrelli Women's Heart Center, Royal Oak, Michigan 48073, USA. Scott.Billecke@beaumont.edu

Drugs of Today (Barcelona, Spain : 1998)
|June 23, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Managing hypertension often requires multiple drugs. The aliskiren/amlodipine pill offers a new approach by directly inhibiting renin, potentially improving blood pressure control and cardiovascular outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Hypertension management frequently necessitates combination therapy due to the limitations of monotherapy.
  • Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and calcium channel blockers (CCBs) combination therapy shows promise in controlling blood pressure and reducing cardiovascular events compared to ACE inhibitor/diuretic regimens.
  • However, CCBs, ACE inhibitors, and angiotensin receptor blockers can activate the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), leading to compensatory increases in plasma renin activity (PRA).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the mechanisms of action, pharmacodynamics, and safety and efficacy of the aliskiren/amlodipine combination pill for hypertension management.
  • To evaluate the impact of aliskiren/amlodipine on PRA and RAAS activation.
  • To discuss the clinical implications of direct renin inhibition in antihypertensive combination therapy.

Main Methods:

  • This monograph reviews existing preclinical and clinical data on aliskiren and amlodipine.
  • Pharmacodynamic effects on PRA and blood pressure are analyzed.
  • Safety and efficacy profiles are assessed based on published studies.

Main Results:

  • Aliskiren directly inhibits renin, reducing PRA and subsequent angiotensin II production.
  • The aliskiren/amlodipine combination demonstrates effective blood pressure reduction.
  • Studies indicate a favorable safety profile for the combination therapy.

Conclusions:

  • Aliskiren/amlodipine offers a novel approach to hypertension management by directly targeting renin.
  • This combination may mitigate RAAS compensatory activation seen with other antihypertensive classes.
  • The aliskiren/amlodipine pill presents a potentially valuable option for patients requiring combination therapy for blood pressure control.

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