Early initiation of rational and effective combination
therapy consisting of
antihypertensive drugs with two different and complementary mechanisms of actions is increasingly becoming accepted in clinical practice and by guidelines as a first-line approach to control blood pressure (BP) and prevent cardiovascular outcomes in patients with
hypertension. Once-daily combination
therapy provides more rapid control of BP, which is important for preventing cardiovascular events, with similar or improved tolerability compared with the component monotherapies, and improved adherence because of regimen simplification. Combination
therapy with a
calcium channel antagonist (
calcium channel blocker [CCB]) and an inhibitor of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) is a rational approach to achieve BP goals and provide protection against renal and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. A number of CCB/RAAS inhibitor combinations, including CCB/
angiotensin-converting enzyme (
ACE) inhibitor and CCB/
angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonist (
angiotensin receptor blocker [ARB]) combinations are available as fixed-dose formulations. There is substantial evidence for the BP-lowering efficacy of CCB/RAAS inhibitor combinations in diverse patient populations, and their use in combination is associated with favourable tolerability and fewer adverse metabolic effects than some other combination
therapies. Recent evidence from large outcome trials supports the use of CCB/RAAS inhibitor combinations for reducing the risk of cardiovascular and renal events, particularly in high-risk patients, together with evidence that the benefits of CCB/RAAS inhibitor combinations may extend beyond their efficacy in lowering BP in terms of protecting against fatal and nonfatal
stroke,
myocardial infarction and cardiovascular-related deaths. The efficacy of the CCB
amlodipine and the ARB
valsartan in lowering BP and protecting against cardiovascular events and
stroke across a range of hypertensive patient populations has been established over many years. Fixed-dose
amlodipine/valsartan combinations are available in many countries and have shown greater BP reductions and better BP control than the respective monotherapies in diverse patient populations, together with a favourable tolerability profile. Once-daily
amlodipine/valsartan is a rational and convenient treatment option for the effective management of patients with
hypertension, improving adherence to
antihypertensive medication and protecting against cardiovascular and renal morbidity and mortality.