W J Elliott

..Diltiazem and verapamil have important drug interaction with digoxin and cyclosporine, among others...

..Improving medication adherence would be a simple way to make antihypertensive therapies much more cost effective, since a medication that is not taken incurs all of cost, and provides no benefit to the patient...

..Its choice of a diuretic as initial therapy is consistent with other trials, but chlorthalidone is the drug with the most compelling evidence in large US trials that included very elderly patients...

..In this Review, we attempt to summarize the recently published data concerning the epidemiology, attendant risks and potential treatment options for this important and growing public-health problem...

..The risk of heart failure, however, is significantly increased (by 29%) with the initial calcium antagonist. These estimates may change as newer trials are reported...

..An earlier diagnosis of diabetes mellitus generally has little impact (over 5 years) on cardiovascular risk. The clinical importance of differential effects of antihypertensive drugs on incident diabetes is, therefore, much less clear...

..Although angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors can cause cough and angioedema (more common among blacks), angiotensin receptor blockers are currently more expensive and have fewer outcome trials to support their use...

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..Long-term follow-up to ensure adequate control of hypertension is necessary to prevent further target-organ damage and recurrence of another hypertensive emergency...

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..To assess 1-year persistence and adherence with monotherapy using the most commonly dispensed individual agent in 4 antihypertensive drug classes: hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), amlodipine, lisinopril, or valsartan...

..We therefore undertook a network meta-analysis, which accounts for both direct and indirect comparisons to assess the effects of antihypertensive agents on incident diabetes...

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..Device-guided paced breathing may offer an effective, simple, and new nonpharmacologic option for treating high BP without additional side effects, but like all lifestyle modifications, must be practiced consistently to provide benefits...

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..When properly treated, "malignant hypertension" need be considered malignant no longer...

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..Many longer-term outcome studies with survival endpoints are under way, but most will compare the combination against an ACE inhibitor alone. These studies will define the optimal use of these agents in medicine for decades to come...

..Because of advances in antihypertensive therapy and management, "malignant hypertension" should be truly malignant no longer...

..Individuals who work night shifts and those whose BP has a different circadian pattern have a higher risk of cardiovascular events, but may be less likely to have an increased risk of cardiovascular events in the morning...

..Future cardiovascular risk may be related directly to the blood pressure attained, rather than to how it was attained...

..Results of the ongoing CONVINCE study may provide evidence that chronotherapy for hypertension and angina pectoris may be more effective than traditional homeostatic treatment...

..Pharmacoeconomic analyses regarding antihypertensive drug therapies, their costs, and the relevant reductions in health care expenditures are a useful framework for optimizing current strategies for hypertension management...

..Therefore, for cardiovascular end points (as opposed to renal end points), it may be more important that the blood pressure is reduced, rather than how the process is started...

..Losartan, but not valsartan, was associated with a decrease in serum uric acid levels...

..Larger and longer studies will be needed to document any long-term reduction in cardiovascular event rates associated with treating stage 1 systolic hypertension...

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..To examine regional differences in the Controlled ONset Verapamil INvestigation of Cardiovascular Endpoints (CONVINCE) trial...

..Single-pill, or fixed-dose, combination therapy is one approach that improves adherence, while also providing the antihypertensive efficacy needed to help patients achieve their blood pressure goals...

..Hypertensive patients are often given a calcium antagonist to reduce cardiovascular disease risk, but the benefit compared with other drug classes is controversial...

..1% of self-reported hypertensives. Results from this study and national surveys indicate that hypertension detection and control remain major public health challenges in preventing cardiovascular disease in older women...

..Because of advances in antihypertensive therapy and management, "malignant hypertension" should be malignant no longer...

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..Special circumstances exist for treatment of hypertension in pregnancy, in childhood, in the elderly, and in both extremes of blood pressure (pre-hypertension or hypertensive emergencies)...

..Compliance and persistence rates vary by drug class, but clinicians can take practical steps to improve patient adherence to any prescribed regimen. JNC-7 recognizes barriers to physician compliance with treatment recommendations...

..This prospective, single-center, cohort study characterized ambulatory blood pressure monitoring as an early pharmacodynamic biomarker of VEGF signaling pathway inhibition by sorafenib...

..More widespread use of such agents, particularly those available in generic formulations or in low-cost formularies, may lead to better long-term BP control and fewer cardiovascular events...

..Despite differences in the risk profiles of previously studied patients and INVEST patients, the antihypertensive effects of Ve+Tr were similar...

..Because angiotensin II may have adverse effects on the arterial wall, we hypothesized that an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) would improve arterial compliance as compared with placebo in subjects with CKD...

..To conduct an economic analysis in the US of antihypertensive treatment with and without benazepril in patients with chronic renal insufficiency...

..The safety profile of olmesartan medoxomil was similar to that of placebo. Olmesartan medoxomil appears to be a safe and effective once-a-day treatment for hypertension...

..This review summarizes studies involving pharmacist participation in hypertension management and provides recommendations for obtaining pharmacist involvement...

..Potential advantages include reduced administration frequency, enhanced adherence and convenience, reduced toxicity, stable drug concentrations, uniform drug effect, decreased cost (occasionally) and decreased daily dosage...