Boehringer Ingelheim explores cardiovascular treatment improvements

A six-year drug trial has proved conclusive as to the abilities of a cardiovascular therapy to prevent complications and death in high-risk patients.

Boehringer Ingelheim’s ONTARGET trial of Telmisartan shows it is as effective in reducing the risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke and hospitalisation for congestive heart failure in high-risk cardiovascular patients as the current high-performer Ramipril.

Some 25,620 patients were monitored during the trial and Boehringer Ingelheim concluded Telmisartan had renal protective qualities and “powerful blood pressure reductions” that lasted for 24 hours at a time.

Salim Yusuf, lead investigator of the ONTARGET trial programme and director of the Population Health Research Institute at McMaster University, said: “The ONTARGET results have important implications for the management of patients with cardiovascular diseases.”

He added the treatment provided a choice that is “effective and better tolerated”.

Last month Boehringer Ingelheim’s respiratory treatment Spiriva HandiHaler was reported to be under investigation amid fears it increased the risk of stroke.