Effect of eprosartan-based therapy on systolic blood pressure and total cardiovascular risk in a large international population: preliminary report of the observational POWER study

t of eprosartan-based therapy on systolic blood pressure and total cardiovascular risk in a large international population: preliminary report of the observational POWER study Rapid Communication (1110) Total Article Views Authors: Goudev A, Berrou J-P, Pathak A Published Date September 2012 Volume 2012:8 Pages 563 - 568 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/VHRM.S34834 Received: 08 June 2012 Accepted: 06 July 2012 Published: 25 September 2012 Assen Goudev,1 Jean-Pascal Berrou,2 Atul Pathak3 On behalf of the POWER Investigators 1Department of Cardiology, Queen Giovanna University Hospital, Sofia, Bulgaria; 2Strategic Medical Affairs, CardioMetabolic Established Products, Abbott Products Operations AG, Allschwil, Switzerland; 3Faculte′ de Médecine et CHU Toulouse, Unité de Pharmacologie Cardiovasculaire et Autonome, Service de Pharmacologie et Cardiologie, INSERM U 1048, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France Background: Estimation of total cardiovascular risk is useful for developing preventive strategies for individual patients. The POWER (Physicians' Observational Work on Patient Education According to their Vascular Risk) survey, a 6-month, open-label, multinational, post-marketing observational evaluation of eprosartan, an angiotensin II receptor blocker, was undertaken to assess the efficacy and safety of eprosartan-based therapy in the treatment of high arterial blood pressure in a large population recruited from 16 countries with varying degrees of baseline cardiovascular risk, and the effect of eprosartan-based therapy on total cardiovascular risk, as represented by the SCORE (Systematic Coronary Risk Assessment) or Framingham risk equations. Methods: Participating physicians recruited > 29,000 hypertensive patients whom they considered to be candidates (according to specified criteria) for treatment with eprosartan 600 mg/day, with other drugs added at the discretion of the physician. Results: During treatment, systolic blood pressure decreased by 25.8 ± 14.4 mmHg to 134.6 ± 11.4 mmHg (P < 0.001), mean diastolic blood pressure fell by 12.6 ± 9.5 mmHg to 81.1 ± 7.6 mmHg, and pulse pressure fell by 13.2 ± 13.5 mmHg to 53.6 ± 11.4 mmHg (both P < 0.01). Calculated total cardiovascular risk declined in parallel with the reduction in blood pressure. Conclusion: The POWER study has demonstrated, in a large and nonselected population, the feasibility and practicability of reducing total cardiovascular risk through systematic management of high blood pressure.