Biotech Values

[rfj1862]

>Amlodipine is in Lotrel. I would buy Benazepril(generic) and generic Norvasc(Amlodipine) and drop the Lotrel. Bad news ?<

Except then you'd have 2 copays, and your compliance with your medication would like be worse. Particularly if you were taking multiple concomitant medications for other conditions.

The primary rationale for combination antihypertensives revolves around compliance and persistence. Multiple studies have shown that the more pills you take, the more likely you are to stop taking your medication. That, and the Joint National Committee 7 guidelines acknowledge that most patients with hypertension require 2 or more agents to get to goal.

Given the sales of combination antihypertensives like Lotrel and the various HCTZ combinations, among others, physicians and patients buy into this argument.