[Indication and advantage of combination therapy with angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) and calcium channel antagonist].

Combination therapy with angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) and calcium channel antagonist is recommended as one of the effective therapies for hypertension. The sub-analysis of Heart Institute of Japan Candesartan Randomized Trial for Evaluation in Coronary Artery Disease (HIJ-CREATE) study showed that combination therapy of candesartan and amlodipine reduced the risk of major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) by 39% (p = 0.015), as compared to that using amlodipine with non-ARB in hypertensive patients with coronary artery disease. Among the individual events in MACE, the incidence of unstable angina pectoris requiring hospitalization was significantly lower by 52% (p = 0.007). These results suggest that the combination of ARB/Ca antagonist may have an advantage not only for blood pressure lowering but also in preventing cardiovascular event in high-risk hypertensive patients.