Blood pressure is not adequately controlled in almost 50% of patients with hypertension who are in receipt of antihypertensive therapy. This multicentre, prospective, open-label trial was designed to determine whether or not once-daily telmisartan 80 mg reduced blood pressure during the last 6 h of the 24-h dosing interval in patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension who were unresponsive to previous antihypertensive therapy. The study comprised 100 patients (47 males, 53 females) who had failed to respond satisfactorily to prior treatment given for a minimum of 3 months. At screening, 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) was conducted after the patient had been treated with the currently prescribed antihypertensive medication. Following 5 weeks of telmisartan 80 mg treatment, ABPM was repeated. Telmisartan significantly reduced mean systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and pulse pressure compared with previous antihypertensive therapy over each time interval (24-h, morning, night-time and the last 6 h of the dosing interval [2.00 a.m.)8.00 a.m.]) analysed. In addition, more than 90% of patients responded successfully (clinic DBP <90 mmHg or a >10 mmHg reduction in clinic DBP) at the end of telmisartan treatment. In conclusion, telmisartan provides effective blood pressure control throughout the 24-h dosing interval in patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension who were unresponsive to previous antihypertensive medication.

Positive family history of hypertension (FHϩ) is thought to be a risk factor for future development of hypertension (HT) in normotensive subjects. Little is known on whether FHϩ is a risk factor for progression of HT in subjects with mildly elevated blood pressure (BP). Therefore, we studied the predictive value of FHϩ for the development of established HT in a cohort of young borderline to mild hypertensives.The study was carried out in 787 subjects (560 males) who took part in the multicenter HARVEST study. Subjects 18 to 45 years old with stage 1 HT, who never took antihypertensive therapy, were enrolled. End point was defined as a BP requiring antihypertensive therapy according to BHS guidelines. In all subjects, ambulatory BP monitoring was performed at baseline and during follow-up. Data were adjusted for age, gender, BMI, lifestyle factors at baseline and changes in these variables over time. Mean follow-up duration was 70Ϯ2 months.At baseline, FHϩ subjects (nϭ463), had slightly higher office BP (146.2Ϯ0.5/94.5Ϯ0.3 vs 144.9Ϯ0.6/93.7Ϯ0.4 mmHg, pϭ.09/.055, respectively) and ambulatory 24h BP (131.9Ϯ0.5/82.3Ϯ0.4 vs 129.8Ϯ0.6/ 81.4Ϯ0.5 mmHg, pϭ0.012/ns, respectively) in comparison with FHsubjects (nϭ324). The prevalence of white coat HT, defined as ambulatory daytime BPϽ135/85 mmHg, was higher in FH-subjects (29.3% vs 22.8%, respectively, pϽ0.05). During follow-up, 249 subjects reached the end-point. Of these, 29% were FHϩ and 36% were FH-(pϭ0.035). Changes in clinic BP, weight, smoking and alcohol use during the 6 years of observation did not differ according to FH status. The increase in 24h BP over time was slightly though non significantly greater in FH-than FHϩ subjects (SBP, 6.4Ϯ1.2 vs 3.9Ϯ1.1 mmHg, DBP, 4.6Ϯ0.8 vs 3.3Ϯ0.7 mmHg, respectively). Multivariable Cox proportional hazard model indicated that FHϩ status was associated with a 28% reduction in relative risk of reaching the end-point (CI, 0.566-0.992, pϽ0.05).These results indicate that sustained HT is more common in FHϩ than FHstage 1 hypertensives. However, FHϩ is not a risk factor for progression of HT either assessed with clinic or ambulatory BP. In subjects studied with ambulatory BP monitoring, FH status does not provide additional information for identifying patients who may benefit from early antihypertensive treatment.Key Words: Family history, longitudinal, progression of hypertension The purpose of this study was the evaluation of the predictive value of ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) for the development of drug-treated hypertension in subjects with high-normal BP (HNBP: Ն130/85 and Ͻ140/90 mmHg). P-57 AMBULATORY MONITORING IN SUBJECTS WITH HIGH-NORMAL BLOOD PRESSUREWe studied 127 subjects (69 M, 58 F, age 50Ϯ14 years): 59 subjects (26 M, 33 F, age 51Ϯ13 years) had normal BP (NBP: Ͻ130/85 mmHg; average office BP 122/77Ϯ 7/6 mmHg), 68 subjects (43 M, 25 F, age 49Ϯ 15 years) had systolic and/or diastolic HNBP (average office BP: 135/84Ϯ 4/5 mmHg). In the HNBP group there was a statistically significant (pϽ0.01) higher prevalence of overw...

No abstract

No abstract