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Benicar™ (olmesartan medoxomil); CenterWatch Newly Approved Drug Therapies Listing:"Benicar is an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) approved for the treatment of hypertension. This once-daily oral tablet that may be administered alone or in combination with other antihypertensive agents. Benicar (olmesartan medoxomil) blocks the vasoconstrictive effects of angiotensin II by selectively blocking the binding of angiotensin II to the AT receptor in vascular smooth muscle."
http://www.fda.gov/cder/foi/label/2002/21286lbl.pdf

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Benicar™ (olmesartan medoxomil); edruginfo.com:"Date of FDA approval May 1, 2002. Pharmaceutical company Sankyo Pharma Pharmacologic classification angiotensin II receptor blocker. Therapeutic classification, antihypertensive. Pregnancy risk category: C;D."
http://www.edruginfo.com/dud_olmesartanmedoxomil.htm

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Benicar™ (olmesartan medoxomil); Sankyo.com:"Studies have shown that Benicar 20 mg -- the usual recommended starting dose -- taken once a day, resulted in significant blood-pressure reduction, lowering systolic blood pressure by an average of 15 mm Hg* and diastolic blood pressure by an average of 12 mm Hg."
http://www.sankyopharma.com/headlines/index.cfm?article=article_second_product

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Benicar™ (olmesartan medoxomil); Mosby's Drug Consult.com:"Categories: Hypertension, essential; FDA Approved 2002 Apr; Pregnancy Category C, 1st Trimester; Pregnancy Category D, 2nd & 3rd Trimesters. Drug Classes: Angiotensin II receptor antagonists. Angiotensin II is formed from angiotensin I in a reaction catalyzed by angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE, kininase II). Angiotensin II is the principal pressor agent of the renin-angiotensin system, with effects that include vasoconstriction, stimulation of synthesis and release of aldosterone, cardiac stimulation and renal reabsorption of sodium. Olmesartan blocks the vasoconstrictor effects of angiotensin II by selectively blocking the binding of angiotensin II to the AT1 receptor in vascular smooth muscle. Its action is, therefore, independent of the pathways for angiotensin II synthesis. An AT2 receptor is found also in many tissues, but this receptor is not known to be associated with cardiovascular homeostasis. Olmesartan has more than a 12,500-fold greater affinity for the AT1 receptor than for the AT2 receptor. Blockade of the renin-angiotensin system with ACE inhibitors, which inhibit the biosynthesis of angiotensin II from angiotensin I, is a mechanism of many drugs used to treat hypertension. ACE inhibitors also inhibit the degradation of bradykinin, a reaction also catalyzed by ACE. Because olmesartan medoxomil does not inhibit ACE (kininase II), it does not affect the response to bradykinin. Whether this difference has clinical relevance is not yet known. Blockade of the angiotensin II receptor inhibits the negative regulatory feedback of angiotensin II on renin secretion, but the resulting increased plasma renin activity and circulating angiotensin II levels do not overcome the effect of olmesartan on blood pressure."
http://www.mosbysdrugconsult.com/Mosby/PhyGenRx/003555.html

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Benicar™ (olmesartan medoxomil); Formulary.com:"The angiotensin II receptor blocker olmesartan has received FDA approval for treatment of hypertension. It is indicated for use alone or in combination with other antihypertensive agents. Efficacy: Clinical trials used to support this ARB's approval included seven placebo-controlled studies of 2,693 patients (2,145 olmesartan, 548 placebo) with essential hypertension. Patients received doses ranging from 2.5 to 80 mg/day for 6 to 12 weeks. At the usual recommended starting dose for monotherapy (20 mg/day), olmesartan produced a trough sitting blood pressure reduction over placebo of 10/6 mm Hg; the 40-mg dose resulted in a reduction of 12/7 mm Hg over placebo. Doses over 40 mg produced little additional effect. Like other drugs in its class and like angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and beta blockers, olmesartan had a smaller blood-pressure lowering effect in black patients than in white patients."
http://www.formularyjournal.com/formulary/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=22735

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Benicar™ (olmesartan medoxomil); Doctor'sGuide.com:"Studies have shown that Benicar 20 mg once a day, the recommended starting dose, resulted in double-digit blood pressure reduction, lowering systolic blood pressure by an average of 15mm Hg* and diastolic blood pressure by an average of 12mm Hg. In these studies, patients receiving placebo had average reductions in systolic blood pressure of 5.6 mm Hg and in diastolic blood pressure of 6.2mm Hg. In clinical trials the only adverse event that occurred in more than 1 percent of patients treated with Benicar and more frequently than those receiving placebo was dizziness (3% vs 1%)."
http://www.docguide.com/dg.nsf/PrintPrint/A901C8E166F2E50785256BA7004DFF85

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Benicar™ (olmesartan medoxomil); PharmacyFirst.com:"Benicar is a new angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) that will be co-promoted by Forest Pharmaceuticals. Benicar is indicated for the treatment of hypertension and may be used alone or in combination with other antihypertensive agents. With a recommended starting dose of 20mg QD, Benicar offers significant systolic and diastolic blood pressure reductions maintained throughout the 24-hour dosing period, including crucial early morning hours. Benicar is not metabolized by the cytochrome P450 enzyme system, so interactions with drugs that inhibit, induce or are metabolized by those enzymes are not expected. Benicar can be safely dispensed to many of your hypertensive patients: those taking digoxin or warfarin, those using antacids, as well as those taking other antihypertensives, including diuretics. Benicar exhibits onset usually within the first week of therapy, and its maximum effect is generally achieved within 2 to 4 weeks."
http://www.pharmacyfirst.com/sb24.html

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Benicar™ (olmesartan medoxomil); BioSpace.com:"Benicar, the newest entry in the rapidly growing angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) class, effectively lowers diastolic and systolic blood pressure in patients who suffer from hypertension. Benicar, which can be administered alone or in combination therapy with other antihypertensive agents, will be available in the first half of 2002. Studies have shown that Benicar 20 mg -- the usual recommended starting dose -- taken once a day resulted in significant blood pressure reduction, lowering systolic blood pressure by an average of 15 mm Hg* and diastolic blood pressure by an average of 12 mm Hg. Angiotensin II is a potent vasoconstrictor that increases blood pressure. Benicar(TM) (olmesartan medoxomil) works by blocking angiotensin II receptors in blood vessels, resulting in lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure. In clinical trials, Benicar demonstrated a side-effect profile similar to placebo. The only side effect that occurred in more than 1 percent of patients treated with Benicar and at a higher incidence versus placebo was dizziness (3% vs. 1%). Benicar, like all members of the ARB class, is not recommended for pregnant women. Benicar also has a favorable drug-drug interaction profile. No significant drug interactions were reported in studies in which Benicar was co-administered with digoxin or warfarin. In addition, Benicar is not metabolized by the cytochrome P450 enzyme system, so interactions with drugs that inhibit, induce or are metabolized by that system, are not expected. Benicar is convenient, since it can be taken with or without food."
http://www.biospace.com/ccis/news_story.cfm?StoryID=8512719&full=1

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Benicar™ (olmesartan medoxomil); AdvanceforPA.com:"Benicar (olmesartan medoxomil) by Sankyo Pharma is the newest entry to the rapidly growing angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) class for the treatment of high blood pressure. Benicar can be given alone or in combination with other antihypertensive drugs. Studies have shown that Benicar 20 mg, taken once daily, results in significant blood pressure reductions. In one study it lowered systolic blood pressure by an average of 15 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by an average of 12 mm Hg. Additional studies have shown that Benicar demonstrated superior blood pressure lowering effects compared with ARB market leader Cozaar (losartan), according to a Sankyo Pharma news release. Sankyo has selected Forest Laboratories as a long-term partner to co-promote Benicar to primary care clinicians, cardiologists and nephrologists."
http://www.advanceforpa.com/PharmUpdate/may02.html

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