New Treatment Options for High-Risk Patients

Monday 4th September 2006

New Treatment Options for High-Risk Patients

Barcelona, Spain

In addition to providing blood pressure reductions, evidence suggests that renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibition with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) provides protective effects against cardiovascular, cerebral and renal damage, together with a reduction in new diabetes. However, these additional benefits appear to vary between and even within these antihypertensive drug classes. Prospective large-scale trials are needed to clarify the differential non-blood pressure effects of individual antihypertensive agents.

The protective cardiovascular effects of RAS inhibition with ACE inhibitors and ARBs are achieved via different mechanisms. This provides a rationale for superior benefits of dual RAS blockade with a combination of an ACE inhibitor and an ARB.

The ONgoing Telmisartan Alone and in combination with Ramipril Global Endpoint Trial (ONTARGET) Programme will provide important information on the comparative efficacy of the ACE inhibitor ramipril and the ARB telmisartan, including their differential non-blood pressure effects on cardiovascular risk. Positive results for combined ramipril and telmisartan treatment may revolutionize the future management of total cardiovascular risk in hypertensive patients.

Faculty

Symposium Chairmen

• Michel Azizi - Clinical Investigation Center Hôpital Europeén Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
• Peter Sleight - Department of Cardiovascular Medicine John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK

Speakers

• Thomas Unger - Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology Charite - University Medicine, Berlin, Germany
• Sverre Erik M Kjeldsden - Department of Cardiology Ullevaal University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
• Michael Weber - Office of Scientific Affairs SUNY Downstate College of Medicine, New York, USA
• Peter Sleight - Department of Cardiovascular Medicine John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK

Agenda

• Welcome and opening remarks - Michel Azizi, France; Peter Sleight, UK
• The rationale for dual renin angiotensin system blockade - Thomas Unger, Germany
• Blood pressure and beyond - Michael Weber, USA
• Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers: where do we stand? - Sverre Erik Kjeldsen, Norway
• The combination of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers: a clinical perspective - Peter Sleight, UK
• Panel Discussion

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