Hypertension is a serious condition associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease. In 2010, an estimated 43 million individuals in Japan had hypertension. This study examines combination therapies administered following initial therapy with an angiotensin II receptor blocker in hyperintensive Japanese patients. We conducted a claims-based study to identify the drugs most frequently added as second- and third-line antihyperintensives for Japanese patients.

This article was originally published in Hypertension Research, the official journal of the Japanese Society of Hypertension.