Treatment of Adiposity Related hypErTension (TARGET) — TARGET  

Hypertension Clinical Trial

Official title: A Randomized, Placebo-controlled, Double Blind, 4-period, Cross-over Trial, to Study the Effects of Aliskiren, Hydrochlorothiazide and Moxonidine on Endothelial Dysfunction in Obesity Related Hypertension

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

High blood pressure (hypertension) is an important cause of myocardial infarction and stroke. High blood pressure often occurs in people who are overweight. These people frequently also have abnormal fat and sugar metabolism. The combination of these problems is called the 'metabolic syndrome'.

People with hypertension and obesity currently receive the same drug therapy as people with hypertension, but without obesity. Different classes of drugs are thought to be equally effective in lowering blood pressure.

Next to lowering blood pressure, hypertension treatment can have additional effects, like changes in blood vessel function (the ability to dilate and constrict) or changes is the metabolism of sugar and fat. Particularly in patients with the metabolic syndrome, these additional effects are thought to be of great importance, because they can influence the risk for cardiovascular diseases.

The blood pressure lowering mechanism differs between classes of blood pressure lowering medication. The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of three types of blood pressure lowering medication belonging to different classes. The main outcomes of interest will be blood vessel function (the ability to dilate and constrict) and blood pressure. Moreover, the effect of treatment on additional outcomes, like metabolism of sugar and fat, will be studied.

Clinical Trial Description

Treatment of obesity related hypertension (ORH) is challenging and has become an important global health problem. According to guidelines, most classes of antihypertensives are equally effective for the treatment of hypertension. However, these guidelines are based on evidence from studies in patients with essential hypertension, but without a specific focus on ORH. There is an increasing body of evidence about the complex pathophysiological mechanisms of ORH. Adipose tissue dysfunction is commonly regarded as a common soil that eventually causes up regulation of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the renin-angiotensin-system (RAS). Moreover, development of hypertension is closely related to development of endothelial dysfunction, dyslipidemia and disorders of glucose metabolism. The investigators hypothesize that treatment with antihypertensives that are directed at down regulation of the SNS (moxonidine) and the RAS (aliskiren) will result in more beneficial effects than treatment with a diuretic (hydrochlorothiazide), because the latter reduces blood pressure by inhibition of sodium resorption, without influencing the underlying disease mechanism. The main outcomes of interest are endothelial function and blood pressure, but many secondary outcomes are studied too. ;

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Crossover Assignment, Masking: Double Blind (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor), Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Abdominal Obesity
• Hypertension
• Metabolic Syndrome
• Metabolic Syndrome X
• Obesity, Abdominal

• NCT number: NCT01138423
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: UMC Utrecht
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 4
• Start date: August 2010
• Completion date: February 2012