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FRIDAY, July 20 (HealthDay News) -- Combining two drugs that act in different ways to block activity of a molecule called angiotensin II brings about a steeper reduction in high blood pressure than using either drug alone, a new study finds.
However, taking the two drugs Diovan and Tekturna, "might not be the first choice for newly diagnosed patients," in part because it is very expensive, said lead researcher Dr. Suzanne Oparil, director of the vascular biology and hypertensive program at the University of Birmingham in Alabama. "But, for patients with certain conditions, such as an enlarged heart, kidney disease or diabetes, there may be an advantage to really blocking angiotensin, because we think that angiotensin is toxic for the kidney," Oparil said.
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Her team published its findings in the July 21 issue of The Lancet. The study was funded by Novartis Pharmaceuticals, which makes both Diovan and Tekturna.
Combined therapy using diuretics -- drugs that are available in inexpensive generic form -- has been found to produce satisfactory blood pressure control in most people. But newer drugs that target angiotensin are not yet available as generics, making them much more expensive.
Angiotensin II is a blood molecule that raises blood pressure by narrowing vessels. The two drugs used in the study were valsartan (Diovan), which blocks the cell receptors on which angiotensin acts, and aliskiren (Tekturna), which blocks the molecular pathway for production of angiotensin II.
The trial included almost 1,800 people with high blood pressure. A quarter of them got daily doses of Diovan, a quarter took Tekturna daily, a quarter got both drugs and the final quarter were given a placebo, an inactive substance.
The treatment was given for a four-week period, followed by another four weeks in which drug dosages were doubled.
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