EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF AZILSARTAN COMPARED WITH TELMISARTAN IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS.

Objective: Angiotensive receptor blockers (ARBs) are very potent antihypertensive agents , Telmisartan being the prototype and most widely used.This study was undertaken to compare the efficacy and safety of Azilsartan a new ARB with Telmisartan. Material and methods : This prospective study was carried out in patients attending the Department of Medicine, SCB Medical college, Cuttack. Patients with newly diagnosed with stage I-II essential hypertension of either sex within the age group of 18?65 years with blood pressure of ≥140/90 mmHg were included in the study. Severe hypertension >180/110 mm of Hg, hypersensitivity to ARBs, secondary hypertension with any other etiology, pregnant women, history of Drug/ Alcohol abuse, cardiac arrhythmias were excluded. Patients who gave consent for the study were divided into 2 random groups 1 and 2 ? the first received azilsartan and the second received telmisartan. Point of control was defined as blood pressure<140/90 mm of Hg after initiation of therapy. Results : 180 patients were randomized into two groups. Out of 90 patients included in group 1 who received azilsartan, 4 lost for follow up. Out of 90 patients included in group 2 who received telmisartan, 5 lost for follow up. There was no significant difference between the two drugs in both mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure at 24hrs, 1 month and 3 months and 6 months. Mean diastolic blood pressure at 24 hrs was reduced more with telmisartan compared to azilsartan which is significant. Hypotension related adverse effects occurred in 3% of the patients in azilsartan group while it occurred in 8% of them in telmisartan group. Conclusion: Azilsartan is an effective blood pressure lowering drug with its safety and efficacy comparable to that of telmisartan.