The new Bayer HealthCare Cardiovascular Risk Management booth attracted a lot of attention. Using the theme 'Look again, think ahead', which connected the product therapy areas and underlined their additional benefits, the modern booth had a continuous stream of visitors. Delegates from all over the world were attracted by the latest information on Adalat® GITS (ACTION trial results and it benefits in combination therapy), Aspirin® Cardio (Women's Health Study results) and the CardioMetabolic angiotensin-receptor blocker Pritor/Kinzal®, which was presented for the first time with a new global design. Following the 'Look again, think ahead' theme, a ‘red-reveal’ quiz, a fun learning game and several continuous animations contributed to the attraction for the visitors.
"Take ACTION – Transferring trial results into improved clinical practice" was the title of this year's Adalat® satellite symposium held on the opening day of the 16th European Society of Hypertension (ESH) meeting in Madrid, Spain. The scientific programme was comprehensively delivered to more than 150 delegates by an eminent panel of experts in hypertension and cardiology. The faculty emphasised the importance of effective blood-pressure (BP) control with calcium channel blockers (CCBs), presenting the wealth of positive evidence for Adalat® GITS as part of a complete cardiovascular (CV) risk factor management strategy.
ACTION has set the precedent for clinical outcome trials in symptomatic stable angina, highlighting the need for stricter BP control in high-risk patients. Professor Philip Poole-Wilson and Dr Peter Meredith presented a comprehensive overview of the findings from ACTION and their clinical impact, drawing parallels and support from other recent outcome trials in hypertension and coronary artery disease (CAD). The data provide irrefutable evidence that Adalat® GITS not only reduces the risk of CV events through safe and effective 24-hour BP control, but has additional effects at the level of the vascular endothelium that protect against end-organ damage.
Professor Hermann Haller added a further dimension to the Adalat® GITS story by highlighting the benefits of a combination strategy using a blocker of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS). There are increasing clinical data supporting superior BP control with CCB/RAAS-blocker intervention and indicating better patient compliance, as this combination has a minimal and compatible safety profile. Importantly, Professor Haller presented the evidence for benefits at the molecular level: both drug classes protect the vascular endothelium but via different mechanisms, which, when combined, should provide even greater end-organ protection. Professor Haller also conducted a media round-table discussion on this important topic directly after the satellite symposium.
Chaired by Professors Giuseppe Mancia and Georg Noll and fuelled by some challenging questions from the audience, the panel discussion addressed several important topics. The faculty recognised the need for combined antihypertensive therapy in certain patient populations. There was some debate regarding the use of combination therapy as a first-line option. Physicians are taught to provide step-wise care but seem to be reluctant to practice up-titration of individual drugs; therefore, combination therapy may be a more effective first step. The faculty agreed that, on an individual level, controlling BP with Adalat® GITS is a critical and important strategy, but highlighted that the vascular-protective effects of Adalat® GITS will provide longer end-organ protection in a broad group of at-risk patients, particularly when treatment is initiated early.
Program Download (628 KB)
