Title:Evaluating the Safety and Tolerability of Azilsartan Medoxomil Alone or in Combination With Chlorthalidone in the Management of Hypertension: A Systematic Review
Volume: 17
Issue: 3
Author(s): Vasiliki Katsi, Christos Michalakeas, Stergios Soulaidopoulos*, Alexios S. Antonopoulos, Charalambos Vlachopoulos, Dimitris Tousoulis and Konstantinos Tsioufis
Affiliation:
- First Cardiology Department, Hippokration Hospital, Athens Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens,Greece
Keywords:
Genetics, hypertension, polymorphism, epigenomics, epidemiology, haplotypes.
Abstract:
Background: Azilsartan medoxomil (AZM) is the newest representative in the class of
angiotensin receptor blockers. Azilsartan medoxomil in combination with the older diuretic
chlorthalidone (CLD) in fixed-doses of AZM/CLD 40/12.5 mg and 40/25 mg has been approved
by the FDA for use in patients with essential hypertension. We sought to evaluate the safety and tolerability
of AZL-M alone and in combination with CLD.
Methods: We conducted a search in PubMed using the keywords ‘azilsartan’, ‘azilsartan medoxomil’,
‘chlorthalidone, ‘safety’, ‘tolerability’ in order to find scientific studies evaluating the safety
of these drugs. We included studies reporting side effects of these drugs, alone or in combination,
in comparison to placebo or other antihypertensive medications. For our systematic review, we followed
the PRISMA guidelines.
Results: Azilsartan medoxomil is a potent antihypertensive medicine with an acceptable safety profile.
The most commonly reported adverse events are dizziness, headache, fatigue, upper respiratory
tract infection and urinary tract infection. Chlorthalidone is more potent and has a considerably
longer duration of action than the most commonly prescribed diuretic hydrochlorothiazide. Safety
and tolerability between these two drugs are similar except higher serum uric acid and lower potassium
levels with chlorthalidone.
Conclusion: The combination of azilsartan medoxomil with chlorthalidone has been shown to be
effective in lowering blood pressure with an acceptable safety and tolerability profile. This fixeddose
combination is an attractive treatment option for hypertension management.
