Drug Benefits Acute Stroke Patients with Hypertension

A study has demonstrated that antihypertensive treatment with candesartan cilexetil (Atacand) reduces the risk of mortality, cerebral complications, and cardiovascular complications by 47.5% for acute ischemic stroke patients with elevated blood pressure. The data were presented at the 25th Scientific Meeting of the German Hypertension Society in Bielefeld.

The study involved 339 randomized patients. Further recruitment for the study was prematurely stopped because of the promising final results. The new drug is a selective angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor blocker and is the first to show a benefit with early treatment for acute ischemic stroke patients with high blood pressure, say the researchers. The drug was developed by AstraZeneca (London, UK).

"The new data will prove extremely useful, providing guidance to physicians involved with the daily management of patients with acute ischemic stroke,” said Prof. J. Schrader, St.-Josefs-Hospital, lead investigator. "The safety aspects of early intervention with Atacand were highlighted as an important benefit for this vulnerable patient group.”




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