Irbesartan/Hydrochlorothiazide : in moderate to severe hypertension.

* The fixed-dose combination of irbesartan/hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) is approved in the US for use as initial therapy in patients who are likely to need multiple agents to achieve their blood pressure (BP) goals. * In a 12-week, randomized, double-blind, multicentre trial in 538 patients with moderate hypertension that was untreated or uncontrolled by monotherapy, the mean reduction from baseline in seated systolic BP (SeSBP) at week 8 (primary endpoint) was significantly greater with irbesartan/HCTZ than with either irbesartan or HCTZ as monotherapy. * In addition, the proportion of patients with moderate hypertension achieving controlled BP (SeSBP < 140 mmHg/seated diastolic BP [SeDBP] < 90 mmHg) at 12 weeks was significantly greater with irbesartan/HCTZ combination therapy than with irbesartan or HCTZ monotherapy. * In a 7-week, randomized, double-blind, multicentre trial in 697 patients with severe hypertension that was untreated or uncontrolled by monotherapy, a significantly greater proportion achieved a trough SeDBP of < 90 mmHg following 5 weeks of combination therapy with irbesartan/HCTZ compared with irbesartan monotherapy (primary endpoint). * Furthermore, the proportion of patients with severe hypertension achieving controlled BP of < 140/90 mmHg was significantly greater at all timepoints of the trial compared with irbesartan monotherapy. * Irbesartan/HCTZ combination therapy had a similar tolerability profile to irbesartan and HCTZ monotherapy. Most adverse events were of mild to moderate intensity.