A dose-response analysis of candesartan-hydrochlorothiazide combination therapy in patients with hypertension.

Aim: To describe the antihypertensive dose-response of combination therapy with candesartan and hydrochlorothiazide (HCT).

Patients And Methods: Data from 4632 men and women (sex ratio 1:1, mean age 54 years) with mild to moderate hypertension, who participated in one of seven randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies with candesartan-HCT for 8-12 weeks, were entered in a common database. The daily dose of candesartan ranged from 2 to 32 mg, and that of HCT from 6.

Findings and implications of the Study on COgnition and Prognosis in the Elderly (SCOPE) - a review.

The Study on Cognition and Prognosis in the Elderly (SCOPE) assessed the effect of candesartan on cardiovascular and cognitive outcomes in elderly patients (aged 70-89 years) with mild to moderate hypertension. Patients were randomized to treatment with candesartan 8-16 mg daily (n = 2477) or placebo (n = 2460) and followed for 3.7 years on average.

Treatment practice in chronic epicondylitis: a survey among general practitioners and physiotherapists in Uppsala County, Sweden.

Objective: To investigate treatment practice among general practitioners (GPs) and physiotherapists (PTs) in chronic epicondylitis of 3 months' duration or more.

Design: Postal survey.

Setting And Subjects: All 129 GPs and all 77 PTs at 35 primary health care centres in Uppsala County, Sweden, received the questionnaire.

Felodipine-metoprolol combination tablet: maintained health-related quality of life in the presence of substantial blood pressure reduction.

Background: Most treated hypertensive patients do not achieve adequate blood pressure (BP) control. Initiating therapy with two drugs has been suggested when BP is >20/10 mm Hg above goal. To ensure patients' compliance, such treatment needs to be well tolerated and must not compromise health-related quality of life (HRQL).

Effect of baseline cognitive function and antihypertensive treatment on cognitive and cardiovascular outcomes: Study on COgnition and Prognosis in the Elderly (SCOPE).

Background: We examined whether cognitive function at baseline affected cognitive and cardiovascular outcomes in the Study on COgnition and Prognosis in the Elderly (SCOPE), a blood pressure (BP)-lowering intervention trial.

Methods: SCOPE included 4937 patients, aged 70 to 89 years, with mild-to-moderate hypertension and Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) score > or =24. Double-blind treatment was initiated with candesartan or placebo.

The Study on COgnition and Prognosis in the Elderly (SCOPE) - major CV events and stroke in subgroups of patients.

The Study on COgnition and Prognosis in the Elderly (SCOPE) assessed the effect of candesartan on cardiovascular outcomes in elderly patients with mild to moderate hypertension. Patients were randomized to candesartan 8-16 mg daily (n = 2477) or placebo (n =2460). Due to extensive add-on therapy, blood pressure reduction was only about 3/2 mmHg greater in the candesartan group than in the control group.

Stroke prevention with the angiotensin II type 1-receptor blocker candesartan in elderly patients with isolated systolic hypertension: the Study on Cognition and Prognosis in the Elderly (SCOPE).

Objectives: The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that the angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker (ARB) candesartan can reduce the risk of stroke in elderly patients with isolated systolic hypertension (ISH).

Background: Isolated systolic hypertension is the predominant form of hypertension in the elderly, and stroke is the most common cardiovascular (CV) complication.

Methods: In the Study on Cognition and Prognosis in the Elderly (SCOPE), 4,964 patients age 70 to 89 years were randomly assigned to double-blind candesartan or placebo with open-label antihypertensive therapy (mostly thiazide diuretics) added as needed to control blood pressure.

The Study on COgnition and Prognosis in the Elderly (SCOPE); outcomes in patients not receiving add-on therapy after randomization.

Objective: To assess clinical outcomes in the Study on COgnition and Prognosis in the Elderly (SCOPE) in patients who did not receive add-on antihypertensive therapy after randomization, i.e. in patients that best reflect the original intention of a placebo-controlled trial.

The influence of sociodemographic characteristics on health care utilisation in a Swedish municipality.

During recent years there has been a debate on factors that might influence health care utilisation, and the possibilities to predict such utilisation in order to facilitate the allocation of health care resources in the community. Currently only the age distribution in the population is usually used for such predictions. In this study the influence of a number of other sociodemographic characteristics on health care utilisation, in addition to age and sex, was assess in a small Swedish community.

Determinants of drug utilisation in a Swedish municipality.

Background: The cost for pharmaceuticals is rapidly increasing in most countries. Identification of the characteristics of the population that determine drug utilisation appears essential for the appropriate allocation of resources to caregivers. The primary aim of this study was to identify sociodemographic factors and measures of well-being and disease that were independently related to the use of drugs, including herbal, and self-care products in Håbo, a Swedish primary health care district.

The Study on Cognition and Prognosis in the Elderly (SCOPE): principal results of a randomized double-blind intervention trial.

Background: The prognostic benefits of blood pressure lowering treatment in elderly hypertensive patients were established more than a decade ago, but are less clear in those with mildly to moderately elevated blood pressure.

Objective: To assess whether candesartan-based antihypertensive treatment in elderly patients with mildly to moderately elevated blood pressure confers a reduction in cardiovascular events, cognitive decline and dementia.

Design: Prospective, double-blind, randomized, parallel-group study conducted in 1997-2002.

Benefits and risks of more intensive blood pressure lowering in hypertensive patients of the HOT study with different risk profiles: does a J-shaped curve exist in smokers?

Background: The Hypertension Optimal Treatment (HOT) Study investigated 18 790 hypertensives randomized to three diastolic blood pressure (DBP) targets (< or = 90, < or = 85, < or = 80 mmHg) for 3.8 years and found marked, significant reductions in cardiovascular events and mortality the lower the target DBP in the subset of diabetics. We investigated whether the benefits of intensive DBP lowering could be extended to other subgroups, and whether there are hypertensives in whom the risk of aggressive DBP lowering may outnumber the benefits.

The relationships between dose and antihypertensive effect of four AT1-receptor blockers. Differences in potency and efficacy.

The relationships between dose and antihypertensive effect of the first four available AT1-receptor blockers. i.e.

Influence of AT1 receptor blockade on blood pressure, renal haemodynamics and hormonal responses to intravenous angiotensin II infusion in hypertensive patients.

The aim of this study was to investigate blood pressure, renal haemodynamics, hormone secretion and the responses to angiotensin II infusion during candesartan cilexetil (candesartan), losartan potassium (losartan) and valsartan treatment in patients with essential hypertension. In this double-blind, randomized, crossover study, 24 patients (mean blood pressure of 163/97 mmHg), received candesartan 16 mg, losartan 50 mg and valsartan 80 mg once daily (o.d.

Cognitive function and health-related quality of life in elderly patients with hypertension--baseline data from the study on cognition and prognosis in the elderly (SCOPE).

The Study on COgnition and Prognosis in the Elderly (SCOPE) study is a multi-centre, prospective, randomized, double-blind, and parallel-group study aiming at comparing the effects of candesartan cilexetil and placebo on cardiovascular events and cognitive function in elderly patients with hypertension. The aim of this sub-analysis was to present data on cognitive function and health-related quality of life (HRQL) at baseline (randomization), and to investigate whether cognitive function was related to HRQL. More specifically, the main aim was to investigate the possible relationship between the Mini-Mental State Examination on one hand, and the Psychological General Well-Being (PGWB) index, the Subjective Symptom Assessment (SSA-P) Profile and the EuroQoL Health Utility Index (EQ-5D) on the other.

The influence of perceived well-being and reported symptoms on health care utilization: a population-based study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of reported well-being and symptoms on the utilization of health care, including alternative medicine. A random, age-stratified sample was drawn from the general population of Håbo, a municipality in mid-Sweden. Of the 1312 subjects sampled, 827 responded to a postal questionnaire, providing information on health care utilization during the previous year, on a number of well-being variables and on perceived symptoms during the past 3 months.