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Article: ARBs vs. ACE inhibitors: which is better for hypertension? ACE inhibitors are generally preferable, but ARBs offer an effective alternative for patients suffering side effects.(MEDS MANAGER)(angiotensin II receptor blocker)(angiotensin-converting enzyme)
- Article from:
- Heart Advisor
- Article date:
- July 1, 2008
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2008 Belvoir Media Group, LLC. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than half of Americans age 65 and older have high blood pressure. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, such as lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril) or ramipril (Altace), are commonly used to treat it--but some estimates suggest that up to 25 percent of patients can't tolerate them.
Could an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) such as telmisartan (Micardis) be a useful alternative?
A qualified "yes" is the message from the ONTARGET study, which followed 25,620 patients over the age of 55, with heart disease or diabetes (a risk factor for heart disease), for 55 months. The results, ...