The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 271 No 7267 p358
20 September 2003

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Blood Pressure Association (www.bpassoc.org.uk)

More patients should take multiple antihypertensives

Many patients on monotherapy should be on triple or quadruple therapy to achieve adequate blood pressure control according to Professor Graham MacGregor, chairman of the Blood Pressure Association and professor of cardiovascular medicine at St George's Hospital Medical School, London. Speaking at the recent launch of Olmetec (olmesartan) Professor MacGregor said, “We want every adult in the UK to know what their blood pressure is and to take appropriate action”.

Professor Gordon McInnes, professor of clinical pharmacology at the University of Glasgow, said that pharmacists have a pivotal role in the management of hypertension, and can identify patients taking just one antihypertensive drug, and refer them back to their GP if their blood pressure is not adequately controlled.

Hypertension is one of 10 disease areas in the clinical quality section of the new GP contract, financially rewarding GP practices that help their patients achieve blood pressure targets.

Olmetec is an angiotensin II receptor antagonist licensed to treat essential hypertension (PJ, 30 August, p259).