The use of telmisartan in patients with refractory arterial hypertension and obesity

Abstract

Aim. To evaluate the effectiveness of telmisartan as a component of triple antihypertensive therapy in patients with obesity and refractory arterial hypertension.Material and methods. The study included 30 patients with obesity and refractory arterial hypertension. All patients received an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) or an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE inhibitor) in an adequate dosage as part of a triple antihypertensive therapy that also includes a calcium antagonist and thiazide diuretic. Participants were randomly divided into two equal groups. In the main group, telmisartan (Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories) was prescribed at a dosage of 80 mg/day instead of the previously taken ARB or ACE inhibitor. In the control group, patients continued to receive a previously prescribed ARB or an ACE inhibitor. The primary end point was a decrease in mean daily systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP) according to 24-hour blood pressure monitoring at 10 mm Hg and more than 20 weeks after the start of the study. The secondary end point was a decrease in the concentration of inflammatory markers and an increase in the level of adiponectin by 15%.Results. After 20 weeks, in the telmisartan group, we noted a significant decrease in the average daily SBP and DBP: in the main group from 145,9±5,4/95,6±4,8 mm Hg to 134,8±3,0/84,9±4,2 mm Hg, in the control group with 147,2±4,9/96,4±5,6 mm Hg to 142,4±4,3/96,9±62 mm Hg. We also determined an increase in the serum adiponectin concentration from 9,3±5,6 μg/ml to 13,4±6,6 μg/ml in the main group and a decrease from 8,8±5,2 μg/ml to 8,6±5,6 μg/ml in the control group, as well as a decrease in the concentration of highly sensitive C-reactive protein (main group from 8,8±3,0 to 6,0±2,8 mg/l and the control group from 7,4±3,8 to 6,9±4,9 mg/l) and interleukin-6 (main group from 16,2±6,1 to 12,3±2,8 pg/ml, control group from 22,5±4,2 to 19,9±5,2 pg/ml).Conclusion. Telmisartan can be considered as a drug of choice as part of multi-component therapy in the treatment of patients with obesity and refractor arterial hypertension.