Effects of combination olmesartan medoxomil plus azelnidipine versus monotherapy with either agent on 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure and pulse rate in japanese patients with essential hypertension: Additional results from the REZALT study

Abstract Background: In a previously reported randomized, double-blind, parallel-group study of the efficacy and tolerability of olmesartan medoxomil (OLM) and azelnidipine (AZL) combination therapy compared with monotherapy with each agent in Japanese patients with essential hypertension (the REZALT study), the use of a combination of OLM, an angiotensin II receptor blocker, plus AZL, a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker, was associated with significantly greater reductions in office sitting blood pressure (BP) and 24-hour ambulatory BP compared with monotherapy with either agent, and was well tolerated. Objective: This article reports the results from an a priori planned analysis and post hoc analyses of the diurnal BP and pulse rate (PR) profiles of OLM/AZL versus monotherapy with either agent from the REZALT study. Methods: Male and female Japanese outpatients with essential hypertension were eligible if they met the following inclusion criteria: age ≥20 years; systolic BP (SBP) ≥140 to