Antihypertensive drugs and coronary artery disease: Evidence from controlled trials

A reduction in blood pressure (BP) levels is the most important mechanism accounting for the reduction in cardiovascular complications induced by treatment. However, results of recent clinical trials and meta-analyses have shown that antihypertensive drugs possess important ancillary properties that might play an additional role in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Reviewing the literature, ACE inhibitors seem to have ancillary properties that can contribute to influence the risk of coronary artery disease with mechanisms partially independent of BP reduction. On the other hand, dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers, such as amlodipine, have been proven to lower the incidence of stroke but their use seems to be effective in relieving symptoms of coronary artery disease and reducing the rate of revascularisation procedures. © 2005 Adis Data Information BV. All rights reserved.