Azor Reduces Blood Pressure In Difficult To Treat Special Populations

Daiichi Sankyo's data demonstrated that the powerful combination drug AZOR (amlodipine and olmesartan medoxomil) safely and effectively helped patients across several major subpopulations lower their blood pressure (BP). An analysis of patient subgroups from the pivotal registrational trial demonstrated the efficacy of AZOR in several key difficult to treat patient groups including people of African and Hispanic/Latino decent, people with high body mass index (BMI) and those with diabetes.

The subgroup analyses were based on data from a pivotal, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled factorial design study conducted in 1,940 pts with mild to severe hypertension (SeDBP) 95-120 mm Hg) to determine if amlodipine (AML) 5-10mg/day plus olmesartan (OM) 10-40 mg/day for eight weeks is more efficacious in reducing BP versus monotherapy components. The groups were chosen because each population generally have either poor control rates (Blacks and Hispanic/Latinos), are difficult to control (people with high BMI) or require lower blood pressure to achieve control (those with diabetes).

"As we know, hypertension affects many people from all walks of life," said Suzanne Oparil, M.D., Director, Vascular Biology & Hypertension Program, University of Alabama at Birmingham, an investigator in the study and President of ASH. "No two patients are alike, nor do any two people present in the exact same way. This study has demonstrated that AZOR is an important tool for physicians to consider when treating hypertensive patients of different ethnicities and health characteristics, as well as the more difficult to treat populations, such as people with diabetes."

Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, affects approximately 72 million people in the United States and approximately one billion worldwide. Called the "silent killer" because it often has no specific symptoms, hypertension increases the risk of cardiovascular and related diseases such as stroke, heart attack, heart failure and kidney disease. Of those diagnosed with high blood pressure, 64.9 percent do not have the condition under control.