Effects of an Antihypertensive Combination in Japanese Hypertensive Outpatients Based on the Long-acting Calcium Channel Blocker Benidipine on Vascular and Renal Events: A Sub-analysis of the COPE Trial

BACKGROUND: In the trial known as COPE (Combination Therapy of Hypertension to Prevent Cardiovascular Events), three benidipine (a Calcium Channel Blocker; CCB) regimens were compared. Hypertensive Japanese outpatients aged 40-85 years (n=3,293) who did not achieve the target blood pressure of <140/90 mmHg with benidipine 4 mg/day were treated with the diuretic thiazide (n=1,094) or a ß-blocker (n=1,089) or an additional Angiotensin Receptor Blocker (ARB; n=1,110). A significantly higher incidence of hard cardiovascular composite endpoints and of fatal or non-fatal strokes was observed in the benidipine-ß-blocker group compared to the benidipine-thiazide group. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: We further evaluated the treatment effects of the three benidipine-based regimens on vascular and renal events in a sub-analysis of the COPE patients. RESULTS: A total of 10 vascular events (0.8 per 1,000 person-years) including one aortic dissection (0.1 per 1,000 person-years) and nine cases of peripheral artery disease (0.8 per 1,000 person-years) were documented, as was a total of seven renal events (0.6 per 1,000 person-years). No significant differences in vascular and renal events were revealed among the three treatment groups: vascular events, p=0.92; renal events, p=0.16, log-rank test. CONCLUSION: Blood pressure-lowering therapy with benidipine combined with an ARB, ß-blocker, or thiazide was similarly effective in the prevention of vascular and renal events in hypertensive outpatients, although there are not enough events to compare the difference in the three treatment groups.