OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of valsartan (Diovan?) 80 mg tablet in the treatment of mild to moderate, uncomplicated essential hypertension in Filipino patients.
METHODS: Patients who were 18-80 years of age, male or female diagnosed with essential hypertension with mean sitting diastolic blood pressure (SDBP)> 90mmHg to 115mmHg were given valsartan? 80mg tablet daily for a minimum of 2 weeks to a maximum of 8 weeks of treatment.
RESULTS: A total of 3224 evaluable patients were included in the study. Almost forty percent (39.6%) of patients are newly-diagnosed hypertensives, 25.8% have been hypertensives for 1 to 2 years,17% for 3-5 years, and 17.6% for more than 5 years. The mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) at baseline was 156.9 mmHg ± 15.4 mmHg while the mean diastolic blood pressure (DBP) at baseline was 98.7 mmHg ± 6.4 mmHg. The SBP decreased at visit 2 to a mean of 135.3 mmHg ± 12.6 mmHg which reduction was very highly significant (paired t-test= 9.13, p<0.0001). On the other hand, the mean DBP decreased to 85.3 mmHg ± 7.2 mmHg at visit 2 which reduction from baseline to visit 2 was also very highly significant (paired t-test= 94.2, p<0.0001). Adverse events in patients had been mild. Over-all the drug had demonstrated its relative safety in this population of subjects.



Human ; Male ; Female ; Aged 80 And Over ; Aged ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Adolescent ; Valsartan ; Blood Pressure ; Essential Hypertension ; Hypertension ; Systole ; Blood Pressure Determination ; Diastole ; Tablets

BACKGROUND: This is a rare case of two large urinary bladder stones causing severe infection of the urinary tract affecting the bone marrow due to chronic immune stimulation in a patient with recurrent anemia. Urinary bladder calculi are hard masses of minerals. They develop when the minerals in concentrated urine crystallize. This often happens when the bladder cannot be emptied. Signs and symptoms can vary from severe abdominal pain to blood in the urine. Sometimes, bladder stones don't cause any symptoms. If left untreated, bladder stones may lead to infections and other complications such as hepatic abscess via a hematogenous route. CASE: This is a case of a seventy-eight-year-old man with a history of multiple blood transfusions secondary to anemia of unknown cause. He came into our institution for a second opinion. We worked up the patient, which showed hepatic abscess and two large urinary bladder calculi. Further investigation of the anemia later led to a diagnosis of primary myelofibrosis. DIAGNOSTICS: Ultrasound showed a complex mass on the left hepatic lobe measuring 7.5 cm x 6.0 cm x 2.1 cm consistent with a hepatic abscess. The culture of the abscess was positive for E. coli. Computed Tomography (CT) scan of the lower abdomen showed heterogeneous mass measuring 8.6 cm x 8.7 cm x 9.2 cm within the urinary bladder (see Figure 2). Urinalysis was consistent with a urinary tract infection. Urine culture showed E. coli. Video-assisted cystoscopy showed two urinary bladder calculi, measuring 1.5 cm x 3.2 cm x 4.2 cm weighing 30 grams each (see Figure 3). The calculi were composed of 100% Calcium Oxalate. He underwent a series of diagnostic examinations for anemia including gastroscopy to rule out a bleeding ulcer. Complete blood count showed hemoglobin of 77 g/L and a hematocrit of 0.23. Finally, bone marrow core biopsy was done which is consistent with primary myelofibrosis. CONCLUSION: Urinary bladder stones can be asymptomatic and may present only with vague abdominal pain. It should be one of the considerations in asymptomatic patients with long-standing prostatitis or benign prostatic hyperplasia. Detailed history, thorough physical examinations, and cautious diagnostic tests are mandatory to confirm the diagnosis. A hepatic abscess may arise from infections in the urinary tract such as prostatitis through hematogenous extension. Therefore, it is important to address the origin of the infection to prevent such complications. This is a rare case of an elderly man who presented with chronic anemia and later found out to have large urinary bladder stones that caused severe infection leading to immune stimulation of the bone marrow, hence the diagnosis of primary myelofibrosis by bone marrow biopsy. Such a rare case must be thought of holistically and analytically.
Male ; Prostatitis ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; Urinary Bladder Calculi ; Liver Abscess ; Anemia