Efficacy and Tolerability of Olmesartan Medoxomil in Patients??with Mild to Moderate Essential Hypertension

Background and objective: Achieving target BP is important to control the increased cardiovascular risk associated with uncontrolled hypertension. However, failure to respond to therapy is common with all classes of antihypertensive agents. Angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonists (angiotensin receptor blockers [ARBs]) possess many of the positive features of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, with fewer adverse effects. However, many patients fail to respond adequately to low-dose monotherapy. This study examined whether olmesartan medoxomil dose titration and olmesartan medoxomil/hydrochlorothiazide combination therapy were therapeutically equivalent in patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension who had shown an inadequate response to low-dose olmesartan medoxomil monotherapy. Methods: This was a prospective, parallel group, partially randomised, doubleblind study set in 463 centres in nine European countries. 2306 male and female adult patients aged 18–75 years with mild to moderate essential hypertension (sitting diastolic BP [DBP] ≥90mm Hg and