Effects of Losartan in Hypertension without Vascular Disease
Authors: Franz H. Messerli
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2004)

Letters6 April 2004Effects of Losartan in Hypertension without Vascular DiseaseFranz H. Messerli, MDFranz H. Messerli, MDFrom Ochsner Clinic Foundation, New Orleans, LA 70121.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-140-7-200404060-00042-w2 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:In their thorough study, Devereux and colleagues (1) stated, “In other placebo-controlled studies in hypertensive patients, β-blockade or β-blocker–based regimens reduced cardiovascular event rates by 15% to 45%.” They also stated, “the further 19% reduction of the primary end point by losartan in LIFE [Losartan Intervention for Endpoint Reduction in Hypertension] … represents incremental benefit beyond the established effects of β-blockade” (1). The authors of the LIFE study stated previously on several occasions that β-blockade in general, or atenolol specifically, reduced event rates in hypertensive patients. Unfortunately, these statements are incorrect—there are no conclusive data showing that ...References1. Devereux RB, Dahlof B, Kjeldsen SE, Julius S, Aurup P, Beevers G, et al . Effects of losartan or atenolol in hypertensive patients without clinically evident vascular disease: a substudy of the LIFE randomized trial. Ann Intern Med. 2003;139:169-77. [PMID: 12899584] LinkGoogle Scholar2. Messerli FH, Beevers DG, Franklin SS, Pickering TG. Beta-Blockers in hypertension—the emperor has no clothes: an open letter to present and prospective drafters of new guidelines for the treatment of hypertension. Am J Hypertens. 2003;16:870-3. [PMID: 14553968] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Trial of secondary prevention with atenolol after transient ischemic attack or nondisabling ischemic stroke. The Dutch TIA Trial Study Group. Stroke. 1993;24:543-8. [PMID: 8465360] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Eriksson S, Olofsson BO, Wester PO; for the TEST Study Group.. Atenolol in secondary prevention after stroke. Cerebrovasc Dis. 1995;5:21-5. CrossrefGoogle Scholar5. Medical Research Council trial of treatment of hypertension in older adults: principal results. MRC Working Party. BMJ. 1992;304:405-12. [PMID: 1445513] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. Dahlof B, Lindholm LH, Hansson L, Schersten B, Ekbom T, Wester PO. Morbidity and mortality in the Swedish Trial in Old Patients with Hypertension (STOP-Hypertension). Lancet. 1991;338:1281-5. [PMID: 1682683] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar7. Coope J, Warrender TS. Randomised trial of treatment of hypertension in elderly patients in primary care. Br Med J Clin Res Ed. 1986;293:1145-51. [PMID: 3094811] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. Annotated Prescribing Information (COZAAR). Horsham, PA: Merck & Co; 2003. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From Ochsner Clinic Foundation, New Orleans, LA 70121. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoEffects of Losartan or Atenolol in Hypertensive Patients without Clinically Evident Vascular Disease: A Substudy of the LIFE Randomized Trial Richard B. Devereux , Bjrn Dahlf , Sverre E. Kjeldsen , Stevo Julius , Peter Aurup , Gareth Beevers , Jonathan M. Edelman , Ulf de Faire , Frej Fyhrquist , Sigrid Helle Berg , Hans Ibsen , Krister Kristianson , Ole Lederballe-Pedersen , Lars H. Lindholm , Markku S. Nieminen , Per Omvik , Suzanne Oparil , Steven Snapinn , Hans Wedel , and Metrics Cited byA placebo-controlled comparison of the efficacy and tolerability of candesartan cilexetil, 8 mg, and losartan, 50 mg, as monotherapy in patients with essential hypertension, using 36-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring 6 April 2004Volume 140, Issue 7Page: W-29KeywordsCardiovascular therapyDiureticsHypertensionMorbidityMortalityMyocardial infarctionRandomized trialsStrokeTransient ischemic attacksVascular diseases ePublished: 6 April 2004 Issue Published: 6 April 2004 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2004 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...