Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Rare comparative studies investigated the relationship between combination therapy of antihypertensive drugs and the incidence of new-onset diabetes mellitus (NODM). The aim of this study was to evaluate which combination therapy, calcium channel blocker (CCB) with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) or CCB with angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker (ARB), is best in reducing/preventing the development of NODM during 4-year follow-up periods in non-diabetic hypertensive Korean patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Finally, a total of 1221 consecutive hypertensive patients without a history of diabetes mellitus who had been prescribed CCB were retrospectively enrolled and divided into the two groups, an ACEI group (combination CCB with ACEI, n = 251) and an ARB group (combination CCB with ARB, n = 970). The primary endpoint was NODM, defined as a fasting blood glucose ≥126 mg/dL or hemoglobin A1c ≥ 6.5%. Secondary endpoint was major adverse cardiac events (MACE) defined as total death, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). RESULTS: After propensity-score matched (PSM) analysis, two propensity-matched groups (243 pairs, n = 486, C-statistic = 0.696) were generated. During 4-year follow-up periods, there were similar incidence of NODM (Hazard ratio [HR]; 1.198, 95% confidence interval [CI]; 0.591-2.431, P = 0.616), MACE (HR; 1.324, 95% CI; 0.714-2.453, P = 0.373), total death, MI and PCI between the two groups after PSM analysis. CONCLUSION: CCB with ACE or CCB with ARB combination strategies are equally acceptable in hypertensive Korean patients regarding the occurrence of NODM.