Parsippany, NJ (May 26, 2004) New data from two different clinical studies demonstrated that patients with hypertension can achieve more aggressive blood pressure goal rates using antihypertensive therapies BENICAR (olmesartan medoxomil) or BENICAR HCT^TM (olmesartan medoxomil/hydrochlorothiazide).

The first, recently published in the Journal of Clinical Hypertension, is a study that demonstrated that nearly seven out of ten or 69.3 percent of patients treated with BENICAR, or if needed with BENICAR HCT, were able to reach a more aggressive blood pressure goal of less than or equal to 130/85 mm Hg.

The second, presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hypertension, was a secondary analysis of data from a previously published clinical study. Data from this analysis showed that at the usual recommended starting doses, approximately twice as many patients treated with BENICAR achieved goal blood pressure of less than 140/90 mm Hg* compared to Cozaar (losartan potassium) and Diovan (valsartan), the two most commonly prescribed angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs).

In 2003, the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure issued its seventh report (JNC 7) outlining its more aggressive guidelines for hypertension prevention and management. These guidelines stress the importance of helping patients achieve goal blood pressure of less than 140/90 mm Hg, or less than 130/80 mm Hg for patients with diabetes or chronic kidney disease. These goals are important because the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) doubles with each increment of 20/10 mm Hg beginning at 115/75 mm Hg. JNC 7 guidelines also recommend a step-wise treatment approach, in which the dose of the first antihypertensive agent is titrated upwards and then additional agents added, as necessary, to achieve blood pressure goals.

"Most head-to-head trials of hypertension therapies compare
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Contact: Jennifer Bryda
jennifer.bryda@hillandknowlton.com
212-885-0623
Hill and Knowlton
26-May-2004

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