Assessment of the Tolerability and Efficacy of Amlodipine in 9295 Patients with Mild or Moderate Essential Hypertension

An open multicentre study was conducted to evaluate the long term efficacy and tolerability of once-daily amlodipine (5 or 10mg for up to 24 weeks) in 9295 patients with mild or moderate essential hypertension. After a 2-week washout period, patients began treatment with amlodipine 5 mg/day, and this could be increased to 10 mg/day in patients showing inadequate blood pressure control after 2 weeks. If acceptable control was not achieved after 6 weeks of treatment with amlodipine alone, a second antihypertensive agent could be added (diuretic, ACE inhibitor or β-blocker). Data were analysed for the population as a whole, as well as for 2 subgroups based on age (group I: ≤ 65 years; group II: > 65 years).