A 26-week, prospective, open-label, uncontrolled, multicenter study to evaluate the effect of an escalating-dose regimen of trandolapril on change in blood pressure in treatment-naive and concurrently treated adult hypertensive subjects (TRAIL).
This study evaluated the effectiveness of an escalating-dose regimen of trandolapril in subjects with stage 1 or stage 2 hypertension.
This was a 26-week, prospective, open-label,multicenter study in Canadian primary care centers. Subjects with hypertension who were treatment naive or whose disease was uncontrolled on current first-line antihypertensive monotherapy were treated with trandolapril for 26 weeks alone or in addition to their current treatment. Uncontrolled hypertension was defined as systolic/diastolic blood pressure (SBP/DBP) >or=140/90 mm Hg in subjects with no other risk factors or >or=130/80 mm Hg in subjects with diabetes or kidney disease. Trandolapril therapy was initiated at 1 mg/d and was titrated as required to 2 or 4 mg at 4 and 9 weeks after initiation of treatment, respectively, in those not achieving BP targets. At 14 weeks after treatment initiation, subjects not achieving BP targets could receive a combination of trandolapril 4 mg plus a calcium channel blocker (verapamil 240 mg) with or without a diuretic. Primary outcome was the percentage of patients reaching target BP after 14 weeks.
A total of 1683 subjects from 192 general practice clinics across Canada completed the 14-week trandolapril dose-optimization phase, and 1650 completed the full 26-week follow-up. Mean (SD) age was 56.6 (12.6) years, and 49.2% of the subjects were men. At baseline, 82.4% (1359/1650) of subjects were antihypertensive-treatment naive. At the trial end, 73.4% (95% CI, 70.9-75.9) of subjects achieved a target level of SBP/DBP
A 52-week prospective, cohort study of the effects of losartan with or without hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) in hypertensive patients with metabolic syndrome.
The impact of an ARB, with or without hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), on glycaemic factors and the risk for developing diabetes in hypertensive patients with the metabolic syndrome have not been fully assessed. This was a 52-week multicentre, prospective, phase-IV, open-label, cohort study of losartan or losartan/HCTZ in hypertensive patients with metabolic syndrome. All subjects were treated initially with losartan 50?mg?day(-1). Those not achieving target blood pressure (BP
Previous studies have indicated that sex differences may exist in the pharmacological management of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), with female patients being treated less aggressively.
To determine if previously reported sex differences in AMI medication use were also evident among all AMI patients treated at hospitals in an urban Canadian city.
All patients who had a primary discharge diagnosis of AMI from all three adult care hospitals in Calgary, Alberta, in the 1998/1999 fiscal year were identified from hospital administrative records (n=914). A standardized, detailed chart review was conducted. Information collected from the medical charts included sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, comorbid conditions, and cardiovascular medication use during hospitalization and at discharge.
Similar proportions of female and male patients were treated with thrombolytics, beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, nitrate, heparin, diuretics and digoxin. Among patients aged 75 years and over, a smaller proportion of female patients received acetylsalicylic acid in hospital than did male patients (87% versus 95%; P=0.026). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that, after correction for age, use of other anticoagulants/antiplatelets and death within 24 h of admission, sex was no longer an independent predictor for receipt of acetylsalicylic acid in hospital. Medications prescribed at discharge were similar between male and female patients.
The results from this Canadian chart review study, derived from detailed clinical data, indicate that the pattern of pharmacological treatment of female and male AMI patients during hospitalization and at discharge was very similar. No sex differences were evident in the treatment of AMI among patients treated in an urban Canadian centre.
Therapy for management of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) varies according to patient, prescriber and geographical characteristics.
To describe the in-hospital use of reperfusion therapy for ST elevation MI (STEMI) and discharge use of acetylsalicylic acid, beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and statins in patients presenting with either STEMI or non-STEMI in Canada from 1999 to 2002.
Four Canadian registries (FASTRAK II, Canadian Acute Coronary Syndromes, Enhanced Feedback for Effective Cardiac Treatment and Improving Cardiovascular Outcomes in Nova Scotia) were used to identify patients with AMI in Canada and to measure in-hospital reperfusion and medication use. Use rates were compared by age, sex, time period and geographical area, according to available data.
Use rates for reperfusion in STEMI patients ranged from 60% to 70%, primarily representing fibrinolytic therapy. A delay in presentation to hospital after symptom onset represented an impediment to timely therapy, which was particularly pronounced for women and elderly patients. Overall, less than 50% of patients met the door-to-needle target of less than 30 min. Medication use rates at discharge increased from 1999/2000 to 2000/2001 across the different data sources: acetylsalicylic acid, 83% to 88%; beta-blockers, 74% to 89%; ACEIs, 54% to 67%; statins, 41% to 53%; and calcium antagonists, 21% to 32%.
Canadian and provincial rates of use of evidence-based medications for the treatment of AMI have increased over time, although there remains room for improvement. A single, comprehensive data source would supply better insights into the management of AMI in Canada.
Age and gender differences in left ventricular function among patients with stable angina and a matched control group. A report from the Angina Prognosis Study in Stockholm.
To assess left ventricular systolic and diastolic function, M-mode (n = 675) and transmitral Doppler echocardiography (n = 358) were performed in patients with stable angina pectoris and compared with 50 matched healthy controls. Left ventricular fractional shortening (FS) was significantly lower in male than in female patients (32 +/- 7 vs. 35 +/- 7%, p
This study examined the possible age- and gender-related differences in the use of secondary medical prevention following primary vascular reconstruction in a population-based long-term follow-up study.
Using information from nationwide Danish registers, we identified all patients undergoing primary vascular reconstruction in-between 1996 and 2006 (n = 20,761). Data were obtained on all filled prescriptions 6 months and 3, 5 and 10 years after primary vascular reconstruction. Comparisons were made across age and gender groups, using men 40-60 years old as a reference.
Compared to current guidelines the overall use of secondary medical prevention was moderate to low (e.g., lipid-lowering drugs 49.5%, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor antagonists (ACE/ATII) 43.4%, combination of lipid-lowering drugs and anti-platelet therapy and any anti-hypertensive therapy 44.7%). A decline was observed between 6 months and 3 years after surgery. Patients >80 years old were less likely to be prescribed lipid-lowering drugs and combination therapy (e.g.: adjusted risk ratio (RR) 5 years after surgery for men and women 0.63 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.39-1.02) and 0.48 (95%CI: 0.31-0.75), respectively, whereas smaller and statistical non-significant gender-related differences were observed. The age- and gender-related differences appeared eliminated or substantially reduced in the latest part of the study period (2001-2007).
We found moderate to low use of secondary medical prevention in Denmark compared with recommendations from clinical guidelines. However, the use has increased in recent years and age- and gender-related differences have been reduced or even eliminated.
Calcium antagonists are widely used in the treatment of hypertension. However, few endpoint studies with calcium antagonists have been done to prove reduction in hypertensive complications. Results of the STONE, SYST-EUR and SYST-CHINA studies show that long-acting calcium antagonists are effective compared to placebo, especially in patients with isolated systolic hypertension and diabetes. Ongoing prospective and randomized trials like STOP II, INSIGHT, NORDIL, ALLHAT and ASCOT will clarify whether calcium antagonists are more effective than well-proven diuretics and betablockers. ASCOT will test the hypothesis that amlodipine is more efficacious than atenolol in preventing cardiac complications in 18,000 hypertensive patients with high coronary risk including diabetes (among them, 2,000 in Norway). The study is also randomizing the patients in a factorial design to either atorvastatin or placebo, testing the so-called lipid hypothesis.
The pharmacologic management of atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia, has been traditionally dichotomized into control of ventricular rate or re-establishment and maintenance of sinus rhythm.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of rate-controlling drugs and antiarrhythmic drugs (AAD) in the Canadian Registry of Atrial Fibrillation (CARAF) over a 16-year period from 1991 through 2007.
1,400 patients with new-onset paroxysmal AF who were enrolled in CARAF were included in this analysis. We assessed trends in ventricular rate-controlling medication use (digoxin, beta-blockers, and calcium channel blockers) and AAD (class IA, IC, and III antiarrhythmic agents) at baseline and follow-up visits as well as by calendar year.
AAD use increased initially from 1991 to 1994 (peak use 42.5%) before steadily declining. Sotalol use decreased (27% to 6%), whereas amiodarone use increased (1.6% to 17.9%). Rate-controlling medication use decreased from 1991 to 1995 (54.1% to 34.1%) due to declining digoxin use (62.9% to 16.3%). After 1999, there was a continued increase in rate-controlling medication use (peak use 52.5% in 2007) due to increased beta-blocker use (17% to 45.7%). Calcium channel blockers use changed little over the duration of the study.
The management of AF has undergone significant shifts since 1990, reflecting the influence of drug development, prevailing belief systems, the impact of large clinical trials, and evidence-based recommendations. Monitoring of pharmacotherapy trends will provide insight into the real-world application of evidence-based guidelines as well as allow the opportunity to identify deficiencies and improve patient care.
Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; University Health Network-Toronto Western Hospital Family Health Team, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address: karen.tu@ices.on.ca.
The objective of this study was to examine persistence rates and factors influencing persistence for new elderly users of antihypertensive drugs.
We conducted a population-based cohort study in Ontario of adults aged 66 years or older to identify new users of antihypertensive medications between 1999 and 2010. Two-year therapy and class persistence were defined as persistence on any antihypertensive medication and persistence only on the same antihypertensive medication class, respectively.
From 1999-2010, the prevalence of antihypertensive drug use increased from 47.8%-60.5% (P
PURPOSE: To describe and compare the pattern of antihypertensive drug prescriptions during different time periods. METHODS: Antihypertensive prescriptions were registered in all patients who underwent an annual follow-up during 1998 (n = 984), 1992-1993 (n = 924), and 1981 (n = 689), at the hypertension outpatient clinic in primary health care, Skara, Sweden. RESULTS: From 1981 to 1998 the total prescriptions of thiazides declined from 61 to 10% (p