Tolerability and Efficacy of Retard Form of Indapamide in the Treatment of Hypertension in Elderly Patients (Results of Multicenter Open Non-Comparative Trial in Russian Program ARGUS)

Open noncomparative multicenter study of tolerability and efficacy of a retard form of indapamide (1.5 mg o.d. for 3 months) in patients older then 55 years was conducted in 14 centers in Russia. Numbers of patients included into was analysis of safety and tolerability were 1277 and 1121, respectively. After 3 months systolic, diastolic and pulse blood pressure (BP) decreased by 20.2, 13.2, 27.5% (supine) and by 19.4, 11.8, 26.9% (standing), respectively. There were no significant changes of heart rate. Effect of treatment was considered positive in 92.4% of patients. Normalization of blood pressure occurred in 51.8% of patients (in 46.2% and 53.4% among men and women, respectively, p=0.0252; in 55.7% and 48% among patients aged <65 and >65 years, respectively). In patients with type II diabetes rates of positive effect and achievement of target BP <130/85 mm Hg were 60.8% and 31.4%, respectively. Hypokaliemia (3.0-3.5 mmol/l) was registered in 43 patients (3.4%), age of 27 of these patients was =65 years. There were no pronounced changes of blood serum levels of creatinine, glucose and uric acid. Significant lowering of atherogeneity cholesterol index occurred in the whole group while both this index and total cholesterol significantly decreased in patients with baseline hypercholesterolemia. Thus in patients older that 55 years monotherapy with retard form of indapamide was demonstrated to be safe and effective antihypertensive intervention.