Pharmacy Daily | Aliskiren review

THE European Medicines Agency has initiated a review of the aliskiren-containing medicines (which are approved for the treatment of essential hypertension) following the termination of the ALTITUDE study. The trial, which included patients with type 2 diabetes and renal impairment and/or cardiovascular disease who were given aliskiren in addition to either an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor or an angiotensin receptor blocker, was terminated in December last year. The early termination of the trial was recommended because its results showed that there was no benefit with aliskiren and that there were more cases of stroke, renal complications, hyperkalemia and hypotension in patients who received aliskiren compared with patients who received a placebo. Whilst the EMA is reviewing the drug’s risk/benefit profile it is advising doctors not to prescribe aliskiren-containing medicines to diabetic patients in combination with ACE inhibitors or ARBs.

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