Practical use of single pill combinations in the treatment of hypertension — an analysis focused on perindopril-based combinations

Abstract

Hypertension (HTN) is a major modifiable cardiovascular risk factor. Despite availability of effective blood pressure-lowering medications, HTN remains poorly controlled. Causes of suboptimal HTN control include the asymptomatic nature of HTN, low patient compliance, inadequate knowledge regarding the sequelae of HTN, and often complex therapeutic regimen. In the current guidelines, combination therapy using single pill combinations (SPC) has been widely recommended for the treatment of HTN. In the present paper, we evaluated the usefulness of perindopril-based SPC in various clinical scenarios in everyday practice. Perindopril-based SPC, including both two- and three-drug combinations, have been marketed since 2008. Our considerations regarding the use of perindopril-based combinations both within the basic HTN management strategy and for treatment individualization are informed by not only the everyday clinical experience but also the results of numerous clinical studies, including large randomized trials. Perindopril-based SPC are characterized by a long duration of action providing stable 24-hour blood pressure control, and the wide range of perindopril-based SPC allows their use in various clinical scenarios, thus facilitating treatment individualization.