fumarates and Cough

KEY POINTS AND PRACTICAL RECOMMENDATIONS: •  Aliskiren, the sole oral renin inhibitor approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, is indicated for the treatment of hypertension, either as monotherapy or in combination, with reductions in blood pressure similar to other agents. •  Early evidence suggests that aliskiren confers additional benefit in patients with diabetic nephropathy. Data are not yet available to determine whether protection will extend to cardiovascular disease. •  No initial dosage adjustment is required in elderly patients or for patients with mild to severe renal impairment; however, clinical experience is limited in patients with significant renal impairment, and with renal artery stenosis. •  It appears rational to combine aliskiren with agents that otherwise increase plasma renin activity, including thiazide diuretics, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and angiotensin receptor blockers. •  While there is a reactive rise in renin in response to aliskiren, probably larger than that induced by angiotensin receptor blockers and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, there is no evidence that this rise is harmful. •  In placebo-controlled studies, the incidence of edema anywhere in the body was 0.4% with aliskiren compared with 0.5% with placebo. It is unknown whether angioedema rates are higher in blacks with aliskiren. •  Aliskiren is associated with a slight increase in cough, with rates of about one third to one half seen with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. •  Increases in serum potassium >5.5 meq/L were infrequent in patients with essential hypertension treated with aliskiren alone (0.9% compared with 0.6% with placebo).

Topics: Amides; Antihypertensive Agents; Cough; Edema; Fumarates; Humans; Hypertension; Renin; Treatment Outcome

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of double-blind randomized controlled trials to quantify the dose-related systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) lowering efficacy of renin inhibitors vs placebo in the treatment of adults with primary hypertension. Databases searched were Medline (1966-March 2008), EMBASE (1988-March 2008) and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL). Six trials in 3694 patients met the inclusion criteria. All examined aliskiren, the only renin inhibitor licensed for marketing in Canada and the United States. Aliskiren caused a dose-related SBP/DBP lowering effect compared to placebo: weighted mean difference with 95% CI: aliskiren 75 mg, -2.9 (-4.6, -1.3)/-2.3 (-3.3, -1.3) mm Hg; aliskiren 150 mg, -5.5 (-6.5, -4.4)/-3.0 (-3.7, -2.3) mm Hg; aliskiren 300 mg, -8.7 (-9.7,-7.6)/-5.0 (-5.6, -4.3) and aliskiren 600 mg, -11.4 (-13.5, -9.2)/-6.6 (-7.9, -5.2) mm Hg. Aliskiren 300 mg significantly lowered both SBP -3.0 (-4.0, -2.0) and DBP -1.7 (-2.3, -1.0) as compared to aliskiren 150 mg. Aliskiren has no effect on blood pressure variability. No data were available to assess the effect of aliskiren on heart rate or pulse pressure. This review found weak evidence that during 4- to 8-week use, aliskiren did not increase withdrawals due to adverse effects as compared to placebo. We concluded that aliskiren has a dose-related blood pressure lowering effect better than placebo and magnitude of effect is similar to that determined for angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers.

Topics: Adult; Amides; Angioedema; Antihypertensive Agents; Blood Pressure; Cough; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Fumarates; Heart Rate; Humans; Hypertension; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Renin; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult

Topics: Amides; Angioedema; Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; Antihypertensive Agents; Cough; Drug Interactions; Fumarates; Humans

Topics: Amides; Cough; Fumarates; Humans; Hypertension; Incidence; Ramipril; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

Topics: Amides; Analgesics; Animals; Cough; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Antagonism; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; Drug Synergism; Edema; Female; Fumarates; Hindlimb; Humans; Male; Motor Activity; Pain; Piperidines; Propionates; Pyridines; Respiration; Self Medication; Spasm; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome; Tail

Topics: Antitussive Agents; Cough; Fumarates; Humans; Piperidines; Research