[Fixed-drug combinations for hypertension].

The recent guidelines for the treatment of hypertension recommend a fixed-dose combination (polypill) therapy to achieve optimal blood pressure (BP) control. Among them, angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) with calcium channel blockers (CCBs) or diuretics are the representative recommended combination since each drug has evidence of reducing cardiovascular events. Recent studies using ambulatory blood pressure monitoring have also suggested that the fixed-dose ARB-based combination therapies with either CCBs or diuretics are well tolerated and effectively lower the BP throughout a 24-hour interval by their long-acting half-lives, nighttime BP lowering effect and improving adherence. It will become more important to use these fixed-dose antihypertensive drugs adequately for controlling the 24-hour blood pressure.