| Abstract: | Persistence on treatment affects the efficacy of antihypertensive treatment. We prospectively investigated the persistence on therapy and the extent of blood pressure (BP) control in 347 hypertensive patients (age 59.4 +/- 6 years) randomly allocated to a first-line treatment with: angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, calcium-channel blockers (CCBs), beta-blockers, angiotensin-II receptor blockers (ARBs), or diuretics and followed-up for 24-months. Persistence on treatment was higher in patients treated with ARBs (68.5%) and ACE inhibitors (64.5%) vs CCBs (51.6%; p < 0.05), beta-blockers (44.8%, p < 0.05), and diuretics (34.4%, p < 0.01). No ARB, ACE inhibitor, beta-blocker, or diuretic was associated with a higher persistence in therapy compared with the other molecules used in each therapeutic class. The rate of persistence was significantly higher in patients treated with lercanidipine vs others CCBs (59.3% vs 46.6%, p < 0.05). Systolic and diastolic BP was decreased more successfully in patients treated with ARBs (-11.2/-5.8 mmHg), ACE inhibitors (-10.5/-5.1 mmHg), and CCBs (-8.5/-4.6 mmHg) compared with beta-blockers (-4.0/-2.3 mmHg p < 0.05) and diuretics (-2.3/-2.1 mmHg, p < 0.05). No ARB, ACE inhibitor, beta-blocker, or diuretic was associated with a higher BP control compared with the other molecules used in each therapeutic class. A trend toward a better BP control was observed in response to lercanidipine vs other CCBs (p = 0.059). The present results confirm the importance of persistence on treatment for the management of hypertension in clinical practice. |
