[Factors predicting blood pressure normalization in hypertensive patients treated with a fixed-dose combination of bisoprolol 2.5 mg/hydrochlorothiazide/6.25 mg].

It is not clear which duration of treatment is needed to achieve complete efficacy with fixed low dose antihypertensive therapy. The aim of this study was to compare blood pressure control rate in patients treated with bisoprolol 2.5 mg/HCTZ 6.25 mg, not controlled after 4 weeks, but treated at the same dosage for one more month to patients not controlled after 4 weeks, and uptitrated to bisoprolol 5 mg/HCTZ 6.25 mg for one month. The 641 patients who entered the study had a mean age of 58 +/- 12 with SBP/DBP at baseline of 165 +/- 12/96 +/- 7 mmHg. After 4 weeks, 252 (39%) where normalized (< 140/90) with SBP/DBP reductions of -27/-15 mmHg. In uncontrolled patients, 19% of those randomized to B 2.5 mg/H 6.25 mg and 33% of those treated with B 5 mg/H 6.25 mg where normalized at the end of the study (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis indicates determinants of blood pressure normalisation after 4 weeks with B2.5 mg/HCTZ 6.25 mg as female gender, initial BP < 175/105 mmHg, previously untreated hypertension, age < 50 years. In conclusion, when the initial therapy with bisoprolol 2.5 mg/HCTZ 6.25 mg is not sufficient to control blood pressure, continuation with the same dosage 4 weeks longer increases the rate of blood pressure control. However, up-titration to bisoprolol 5 mg/6.25 mg is more efficacious to increase the number of patients with a final blood pressure < 140/90 mmHg.