DOI: 10.21276/sajp.2018.7.8.5

Pages: 387-391

Hypertension is a major risk factor for stroke, myocardial infarction, vascular disease, and chronic kidney disease. The goal of antihypertensive therapy is to maintain blood pressures of < 140/90 mmHg for most people. All international guidelines for the management of hypertension recommend angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) as an initial or add-on antihypertensive therapy. The ARBs are very well tolerated as monotherapy as well as in combination with other anti-hypertensive medications that improve adherence to therapy and have become a mainstay in the treatment of stage 1 and 2 hypertension. The 8 available ARBs have variable clinical efficacy when used for control of hypertension. Assessment of the efficacy and safety of Telmisartan (80 mg once daily) versus valsartan (160 mg once daily) for the management of blood pressure (BP) in patients with essential hypertension. A cross sectional retrospective single center, parallel-group study. Patients will be recruited from Queen Alia Heart Institute. Data will be gathered by reviewing the medical records. Baseline characteristics were not significantly different between the two study groups. After 12 weeks, BP had fallen to a greater extent in the Telmisartan group compared to Valsartan group in terms of mean reductions in the systolic and diastolic BP of 126.2/80.4 (Adjusted change from baseline- 26.8/-20.9) and 133.3/ 86.8 mm Hg (Adjusted change from baseline--18 /-12.7) (p<0.0021). In Stage 2 hypertensive patients once daily Telmisartan 80 mg provides significantly greater BP lowering compared to Valsartan 160 mg