Daniel Pella
Following the latest guidelines the treatment of arterial hypertension is aimed not only at simple reduction of blood pressure but at prevention of the cardiovascular complications that are known to accompany the high blood pressure. The patients were stratified in the scientific programme FALCO (StratiFikácia kArdiovaskulárneho rizika a Liečba hypertenzie založená na mediCíne dôkazOv) according newest European ESH/ESC guidelines for management of arterial hypertension 2007 and in consequence the effect of three months therapy with fixed combination of perindopril arginine with indapamide were assessed. The objective of the scientific programme FALCO was to demonstrate that above mentioned fixed combination therapy has the same safety and effectivity none the less in the whole group of patients (irrespective of cardiovascular risk) but also in the group of patients with high cardiovascular risk. Systolic blood pressure decreased statistically significantly from 157.50 ± 14.53 mmHg to 132.25 ± 10.31 mmHg (p < 0.00001) and diastolic blood pressure from 95.73 ± 8,39 mmHg to 81.19 ± 6.35 mmHg (p < 0.00001) in the whole group of patients (n = 2,246) after 3 months of therapy. Statistically significant decrease of heart rate from 75.44 ± 9.75/min. to 70.86 ± 6.94/min. (p < 0.00001) was observed as well. Statistically comparable decrease of both systolic blood pressure (from 158.86 ± 15.09 mmHg to 132.83 ± 10.06 mmHg; p < 0.00001) and diastolic blood pressure (from 95.73 ± 8.39 mmHg to 81.19 ± 6.35 mmHg; p < 0.00001) in the group of high risk patients were found. Decrease of heart rate was similar from 75.46 ± 10.18/min. to 70.88 ± 7.00/min. (p < 0.00001). Adverse effects were very rare, mild and comparable in the both groups. In conclusion, fixed combination therapy with perindopril arginine and indapamide was equally effective and safe in patients with arterial hypertension in all categories of cardiovascular risk.