Warning – Europe agrees with restrictions on combining different classes of blood pressure medicines

Warning – Europe agrees with restrictions on combining different classes of blood pressure medicines

The European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has endorsed restrictions on combining different classes of medicines that act on the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), a hormone system that controls blood pressure and the volume of fluids in the body.

These medicines (called RAS-acting agents) belong to three main classes: angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs, sometimes known as sartans), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-inhibitors) and direct renin inhibitors such as aliskiren. Combination of medicines from any two of these classes is not recommended and, in particular, patients with diabetes-related kidney problems (diabetic nephropathy) should not be given an ARB with an ACE-inhibitor.

Where combination of these medicines is considered absolutely necessary, it must be carried out under specialist supervision with close monitoring of kidney function, fluid and salt balance and blood pressure. This would include the licensed use of the ARBs candesartan or valsartan as add-on therapy to ACE-inhibitors in patients with heart failure who require such a combination. The combination of aliskiren with an ARB or ACE-inhibitor is strictly contraindicated in those with kidney impairment or diabetes.

The CHMP opinion will now be forwarded to the European Commission, which will issue a final decision valid throughout the EU in due course.