Aumentare i tassi di risposta al trattamento antiipertensivo: la terapia combinata a dose fissa lercanidipina/enalapril.

Although many efforts paid to prevention and treatment of the hypertension, mortality and morbidity hypertension-related is still unacceptably high. This is largely due to the difficulty in mantaining the blood pressure values strictly below the goal recommended by guidelines. As confirmed by recent intervention trials, more than half of hypertensive patients treated with a single drug regime not adeguately controls its blood pressure. On this base, current guidelines have recommended the use of combination therapy as first-line treatment in high or very high risk patients or when blood pressure is above the goal of 20/10 mmHg (>160/100 mmHg). In these patients blocking two or more blood pressure regulatory systems provides a more effectve reduction in blood pressure with a parallell reduction of cardiovascular events. Calcium Channel Blockers (CCBs) and Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) inhibitors (ACE-I) administered in combination can complemement each other in lowering blood pressure. Recently a fixed-dose combinations of lercanidipine (10 mg) plus enalapril (20 mg) has been approved in some E.C. countries: here we review both the rationale and the available clinical data for the use of this combination in hypertensive patients.