Incremental Blood Pressure–Lowering Effect of Titrating Amlodipine for the Treatment of Hypertension in Patients Including Those Aged ≥55 Years

Small reductions in blood pressure reduce the risk of cardiovascular events. Here, we report 2 post hoc pooled analyses assessing the antihypertensive effect of amlodipine in patients who had not responded to 5 mg and were uptitrated to 10 mg. The first analysis assessed subgroups of patients aged either younger than 55 years or 55 years or older and the second analysis pooled all patients irrespective of age. Of 706 patients in the age-related analysis, a statistically significant decrease in blood pressure from baseline was observed {for younger than 55 years [N = 253]: systolic blood pressure = −12.8 [standard error (SE) = 0.90] mm Hg, diastolic blood pressure = −8.0 [SE = 0.55] mm Hg; for 55 years or older [N = 453]: systolic blood pressure = −12.1 [SE = 0.66] mm Hg, diastolic blood pressure = −6.7 [SE = 0.39] mm Hg; all P < 0.0001}. In total, 45.8% and 39.3% of patients aged younger than 55 and 55 years or older, respectively, achieved their blood pressure goals. Adverse events were experienced by 62 (24.5%) patients aged younger than 55 years and 136 (30.0%) patients aged 55 years or older. Similar efficacy and safety results were seen in the all patient pooled analysis. Titration of amlodipine from 5 mg to 10 mg significantly decreased blood pressure in older hypertensive patients, which is clinically relevant because increased age is associated with hypertension and cardiovascular events.