Triple combination therapy to improve blood pressure control: experience with olmesartan-amlodipine-hydrochlorothiazide therapy.

Effective treatment of hypertension is a key strategy for preventing and reducing the burden of hypertension-related cardiovascular diseases. In spite of these well-established concepts, hypertension remains poorly controlled, worldwide. Among the different pharmacological strategies required to improve blood pressure (BP) control, a more extensive use of combination therapy is progressively emerging as a cornerstone of a more effective treatment of hypertension. Among different drug combinations currently available for the clinical management of hypertension, those based on the association of drugs inhibiting the renin-angiotensin system, thiazide diuretics and calcium channel blockers have demonstrated to be very effective in lowering both systolic and diastolic, clinic and 24-h ambulatory BP levels with a good tolerability and safety profile. In the present manuscript the authors provide an overview of the evidence supporting the use of triple combination therapy with different classes of antihypertensive drugs, with a particular focus on those based on olmesartan medoxomil, a thiazide diuretic (hydrochlorothiazide) and a calcium channel blocker (amlodipine besylate). Available data indicate that triple combination therapy based on olmesartan provides effective and sustained clinical and 24-h BP control in a high proportion of individuals among a broad range of hypertensive patients.