Blood pressure guidelines questioned

An international blood pressure study comparing two single-pill drug combinations has yielded results so significant that the study has been stopped early — and U-M researchers say their findings might alter the way high blood pressure is treated worldwide.

The randomized study showed that both drug combinations helped people who had high blood pressure and other cardiovascular risk factors get their blood pressure down to recommended levels — despite the fact that two-thirds of them were unable to achieve good blood pressure control with other medications before they entered the study.

The study also revealed the patients taking one of the combinations had 20-percent fewer heart-related events than those taking the other. Those events included cardiovascular deaths, heart attacks, strokes, hospitalizations for unstable angina and treatments to re-open blocked heart arteries.

In all, 10,700 study participants took a single tablet that includes two medications. One group received a tablet containing benazepril, which is a type of drug called an ACE inhibitor, and amlodipine, which belongs to a class of drugs known as calcium channel blockers or CCBs. The other pill combined benazepril and hydrochloro-thiazide, a type of diuretic or "water pill." The 20-percent reduction in cardiovascular events was observed with the ACE/CCB combination tablet.

Dr. Kenneth Jamerson, professor of internal medicine at the Medical School and a member of the Cardiovascular Center, led the study, Avoiding Cardiovascular Events through Combination Therapy in Patients Living with Systolic Hypertension (ACCOMPLISH).

The research was funded by Novartis, which is among the companies that offer two-drug combination tablets for blood pressure treatment.

More Stories

• Diag preparations underway for Spring Commencement
• Observatory Lodge new home for kinesiology
• Football illustrates biological interactions
• DPS to conduct controlled burn on North Campus
• Faculty, students find hands-on experience in UROP
• Advisory committee to search for executive vice president for medical affairs
• Spotlight: Spectrum director no accidental activist
• Toyota selects U-M researcher to direct new institute
• Link examined between health and social, economic policies
• Coleman to senators: Research funding vital to nation's future
• Blood pressure guidelines questioned
• Older corneas suitable for transplantation
• Atkins named first endowed professor at School of Information
• Office space guidelines set for new construction, renovations
• Ross researchers examine value in offshoring
• Exactly how much housework does a husband create?
• Seven at University named Guggenheim Fellows
• One large organic shade-grown coffee, please
• Weight a minute: Obese people want fair treatment from employers
• Scholarship & Creative Work
• Don't miss: China Theme Year ends with Web cast and panel
• Photo: Blue-bik's cube
• Photo: rEVOLUTION April 11-16 at the Dude
• Photo: Carousel at Power Center April 10-13
• Photo: Turnley talks Iraq April 8 in East Quad Room 126