Amlodipine/atorvastatin (
Caduet) is a single-
tablet, fixed-dose combination of the
dihydropyridine calcium channel antagonist amlodipine and the
HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor atorvastatin. The bioavailability of
amlodipine and
atorvastatin with a single-
tablet, fixed-dose
amlodipine/atorvastatin combination was not significantly different to that with coadministered separate
amlodipine and
atorvastatin tablets. In well controlled clinical trials in patients with
hypertension and dyslipidaemia, once-daily
amlodipine and
atorvastatin (administered as the single-
tablet, fixed-dose combination or coadministered as two separate
tablets) effectively reduced systolic BP (SBP) and
low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (
LDL-C) levels, and enabled more patients to achieve BP and
LDL-C goals than single-agent or placebo
therapy. There was no modification of the effect of
amlodipine on SBP when administered in combination with
atorvastatin and there was no modification of the effect of
atorvastatin on
LDL-C when administered in combination with
amlodipine. In noncomparative, titration-to-goal, open-label 'real-world' trials, the single-
tablet, fixed-dose combination of
amlodipine/atorvastatin enabled patients with
hypertension and dyslipidaemia to achieve both BP and
LDL-C goals. Administration of a single
tablet of
amlodipine/atorvastatin, compared with coadministration of these agents as two separate
tablets, improved patient adherence, according to a retrospective study that utilized prescription refill rates from a large US insurance database. Data from the large, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled ASCOT-LLA trial also demonstrated that the combination of
amlodipine-based
therapy and
atorvastatin was effective in preventing cardiovascular (CV) endpoints in hypertensive patients at risk of CV disease (CVD). In summary,
amlodipine/atorvastatin offers a convenient and effective approach to improving adherence and managing CV risk in hypertensive patients with dyslipidaemia or at risk of CVD.