Comparison of fimasartan and amlodipine therapy on carotid atherosclerotic plaque inflammation

BACKGROUND: The renin‐angiotensin system plays an important role in promoting atherosclerotic plaque inflammation, which may be inhibited by angiotension‐II receptor blockers. HYPOTHESIS: We investigated the effects of fimasartan and amlodipine therapy on carotid atherosclerotic plaque inflammation using (18)F‐fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. METHODS: Fifty patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and at least one lesion with (18)FDG uptake in the carotid artery (target‐to‐background ratio [TBR] ≥ 1.6) were randomly assigned to receive either fimasartan (60 mg once a day) or amlodipine (5 mg once a day). (18)FDG PET examinations were performed in all patients at baseline and 6 months. The primary endpoint was the percent change in the index vessel TBR for the most diseased segment (MDS TBR). RESULTS: The two groups had similar baseline characteristics. At the 6‐month follow‐up, index vessel and aorta MDS TBR significantly decreased in both groups. However, the percent change in index vessel MDS TBR was similar between the two groups (−9.33 ± 14.2% vs −7.73 ± 19.1%, respectively, P = 0.9). No significant difference was found for the percent change in the whole vessel TBR for the index vessel between the two groups, with similar findings for changes in MDS TBR or whole vessel TBR for the aorta. Total cholesterol, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, and blood pressure improved to a similar degree in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Fimasartan and amlodipine reduce carotid atherosclerotic plaque inflammation similarly in patients with ACS, offering the same level of effectiveness.