Are all fixed dose combinations equally effective in blood pressure control? the analysis of four different fixed dose antihypertensive combinations

Objective: hypertension guidelines recommend the use of fixed dose combinations as the first step treatment in patients with stage 2 and 3 hypertension. the aim of this study was to compare the antihypertensive effects of four different fixed-dose preparations containing beta blocker (bb)-diuretic, ace inhibitor (acei)-diuretic, angiotensin receptor blocker (arb)-diuretic, and calcium channel blocker (ccb)-acei.methodology: eighty patients with newly diagnosed hypertension whose sitting blood pressure (bp) ? 160/100 mmhg were randomized to receive either of those four fixed dose antihypertensive preparations: atenolol 50 mg-hydrochlorotiazide (hctz) 12.5 mg, or lisinopril 20 mg-hctz 12.5 mg, or telmisartan 80 mg-hctz 12.5 mg or verapamil 180 mg- trandolapril 2 mg. all the patients were followed up for six months.results: both systolic bp (sbp) and diastolic bp (dbp) were reduced similarly in all groups (45.7/22.4 mmhg in bb-diuretic group, 45.8/18.1 mmhg in acei-diuretic group, 54.6/17.6 mmhg in arb-diuretic group and 38.9/16 mmhg in acei-ccb group. for sbp p=0.19 and for dbp p=0.43).conclusion: all investigated fixed dose antihypertensive combinations were found similarly effective in reducing blood pressure