Pfizer study shows Norvasc lowers central arterial blood pressure

By E. Janene Geiss

Philadelphia, Nov. 14 - Pfizer said Monday that a study of its blood-pressure lowering medicine Norvasc lowered hypertensive patient's central arterial blood pressure readings, which was shown to be an independent predictor of cardiovascular and renal outcomes compared to patients who took a beta blocker-based regimen.

The study, called CAFE (Conduit Artery Function Evaluation), is a sub-study of Ascot-BPLA (Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial-Blood Pressure Lowering Arm) and is the first trial to evaluate the long-term effects of two anti-hypertensive treatment regimens on central arterial blood pressure compared with peripheral blood pressure measurements, according to a company news release.

The study included 2,200 patients. In the Norvasc-based regimen, patients received the ACE-inhibitor perindopril and the alpha-blocker Cardura XL (doxazosin GITS) as add-on therapy if additional blood pressure control was needed.

Patients receiving the beta-blocker based regimen of atenolol received a diuretic (thiazide) and Cardura XL (doxazosin GITS) if needed.

"CAFE demonstrates for the first time in a major clinical-outcomes trial that blood pressure lowering drugs have significantly different effects on central arterial blood pressure, despite having a similar impact on peripheral blood pressure," Bryan Williams, professor of medicine, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, United Kingdom, said in the release.

"The amlodipine-based regimen was shown to be more effective at lowering central arterial blood pressure than the atenolol-based regimen. These findings, together with the benefits witnessed in the Ascot study on cardiovascular and all-cause mortality, may have significant implications for hypertension treatment guidelines," Williams added.

The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American Heart Association.

New York City-based Pfizer discovers, manufactures and markets pharmaceuticals.

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