Expert Opinion on the Clinical Use of Bisoprolol and Telmisartan Combination Therapy in the Management of Hypertension in Indian Settings

Abstract

Background: Although there were clinical studies conducted on the efficacy and safety of bisoprolol and telmisartan combination, there were lack of studies among clinicians in actual practice. So, this study was conducted to gather expert opinions regarding the clinical use of bisoprolol and telmisartan combination therapy for hypertension management in Indian settings. Methodology: The cross-sectional, multiple-response questionnaire-based study, consisting of 19-items, gathered expert opinions on current practices, clinical observations, and experiences related to the use of combination therapy of bisoprolol and telmisartan in routine settings for managing hypertension. The survey respondents were specialists with expertise in managing hypertension. Results: Majority (98.9%) of the clinicians reported that telmisartan is the preferred angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) with bisoprolol. Around 84% of the respondents preferred telmisartan +bisoprolol as the ARB and beta-blocker combination therapy in patients with hypertension and cardiovascular conditions. More than half (50.82%) of the clinicians recommended combination of bisoprolol+ telmisartan as the second-line drug for hypertension management and about 47% of them advocated combination of telmisartan+ bisoprolol as the first-line drug. About 51% of clinicians believed that using the telmisartan + bisoprolol combination offers better cardiovascular protection than the telmisartan + metoprolol combination. Nearly 32% of clinicians stated that the fixed dose combination (FDC) of telmisartan + bisoprolol has the advantage of better blood pressure (BP) control. Conclusion: The survey highlighted the clinician's preference for the telmisartan + bisoprolol combination in the management of hypertension and cardiovascular conditions. The respondents also underscored its clinical utilization as both first- second-line treatment, along with its capability to achieve improved blood pressure regulation.