Why Is ONTARGET^® Important?

Reducing cardiovascular risk is an important therapeutic goal because atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Almost 17 millions deaths per year are attributed to cardiovascular disease, and these figures are estimated to approach 25 million by 2020.^1-3

High blood pressure increases the risk of a cardiovascular event. Evidence from an outcome study of more than 1 million people followed for up to 14 years has shown that the risk of cardiovascular-related death increases with increasing systolic blood pressure. Although hypertension plays a major role in the risk of a cardiovascular event, additional risk factors have been highlighted, and are taken into account when identifying patients at high cardiovascular risk.⁴

The development of cardiovascular disease is effectively a continuum. Angiotensin II, a component of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) involved in blood pressure control, plays a prominent role early on in the chain of events that lead to cardiovascular disease.

Therefore, the cardioprotective effects of antihypertensive agents targeting the RAS have become the focus of interest.

The Heart Outcomes Prevention (HOPE) trial,^5-6 EURopean trial On reduction of cardiac events with Perindopril in stable coronary Artery disease (EUROPA),⁷ and the Australian National Blood Pressure 2 (ANBP2),⁸ have all demonstrated a reduction in cardiovascular events beyond improvements in blood pressure with ACE inhibitors.

Telmisartan possesses properties that may confer benefits beyond blood-pressure lowering, which may further reduce cardiovascular risk.

As the largest cardiovascular outcome ARB trial in a broad cross-section of high-risk patients, results from ONTARGET^® have the potential to influence positively cardiovascular morbidity and mortality among a wide range of patient populations.

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