Anti-hypertensive combination launched in China

Servier China announced that its latest potent anti-hypertensive combination, Coveram was officially launched in the Chinese market. It is targeted at adults with hypertension that cannot be adequately controlled by a single drug and as an alternative therapy for patients with essential hypertension whose condition has been controlled by the combination of perindopril and amlodipine at the same dose level. It will provide better treatment options for the majority of hypertensive patients in China.

Coveram was launched at the Second China-EU Summit on the International Frontier of Cardiology. Participants included Professor Han Yaling, Vice President of the General Hospital of the Shenyang Military Region and Director of the Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases; Professor Yang Yuejin, Vice President of Fuwai Cardiovascular Hospital and a member of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; and Professor Zhang Yanyang, Vice President of Peking Union Medical College Hospital and Director of the Clinical Case Research Center.

Hypertension is the leading cause of disease burden and mortality worldwide. About 9.4 million people die each year. The prevalence of hypertension among adults in China is 23.2 percent. But the rate of blood pressure meeting the standard is only 15.3 percent. Professor Wang Jiguang, Chairman of the China Hypertension Alliance at Ruijin Hospital Affiliated with the Medical College of Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Director of the Shanghai Institute of Hypertension, once said: "The Healthy China 2030 strategy makes clear that efforts should be made to reduce blood pressure in 70 percent of hypertensive patients receiving treatment. To achieve this goal, not only doctors, but also patients and the public, need to improve their knowledge of hypertension. We also need a series of very effective anti-hypertensive drugs."

A Lancet article clearly pointed out that one of the important reasons for the current blood pressure control rate situation is the inadequate use of combination therapies of two drugs. Early compliance is a very important concept in hypertension management, which also supports combination therapy earlier in patients' treatment programs.

"Coveram contains Perindopril, which works on the renin-angiotensin system, and Amlodipine, which is a Calcium channel blocker, meaning that the two drugs work synergistically to lower blood pressure," said Professor Wang Jiguang, Chairman of the China Hypertension Alliance at Ruijin Hospital Affiliated with the Medical College of Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Director of the Shanghai Institute of Hypertension, "I believe that the availability of Coveram can significantly improve the rate of blood pressure control. We hope this combination will be introduced into clinical practice as soon as possible, and bring more benefits to hypertensive patients."