Singapore, April 2, 2008: Hypertension is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in India & the number of hypertensives in India will touch 200 million by 2025, according to Ontarget, one of the world's largest heart disease studies. The findings of this study were presented at the 57^th Annual American College of Cardiology (ACC) conference in Chicago.

 

The findings of this study are being brought to India exclusively by Dr Reddy’s Laboratories in association with ACC. A nationwide activity is being organized across all major cities, where leading cardiologists will be sharing the results of the trials.

 

Ontarget, which reveals how thousands of heart attacks and strokes could be prevented every year, has one of the largest patient populations of any clinical trial among hypertensive populations covering 31620 patients across 40 countries. It is ethnically diverse with many Asian countries included, which ultimately means that patient characteristics are close to Indian patients and more applicable to Indian patients unlike other trial programs.

 

The study is being heralded as one of the most important cardiovascular studies in nearly a decade, post the HOPE study. It helps doctors understand how people at the highest risk of cardiovascular disease can best be protected from the devastating effects of heart attacks and strokes. The results of the Ontarget Trial have proven that ‘Telmisartan’ is as protective as the current gold standard, Ramipril, in reducing the risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke, and hospitalisation for congestive heart failure in a broad cross-section of high-risk cardiovascular patients and is better tolerated. Benefits evaluated were over and above simple BP reduction.

 

Prof  Salim Yusuf, lead investigator of the Ontarget Trial Program and Director of the Population Health Research Institute at McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada said, “The Ontarget trial shows that Telmisartan is a well-tolerated treatment option in high-risk cardiovascular patients, and is as effective as Ramipril in preventing heart attacks, stroke, hospitalisations for heart failure and deaths. At present, many physicians extrapolate and assume that an ARB (Angiotensin Receptor Blocker) will be effective in this group. It will be very important to get hard evidence, and Ontarget findings will provide this."

 

Mr Ritha Chandrachud, Vice President - India sales, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories said, “We are very eagerly awaiting the results of this study and are proud to take this initiative to get Ontarget to India. We are very sure that this trial will be of immense use to doctors in treating hypertensive patients.”

 

The goal of Ontarget is to fully understand the potential of angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARBs) so that physicians can offer an effective and tolerable treatment regimen to the broadest range of patients.