Sanofi Intensifies Fight against Hypertension, Re-launches Tritace

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Sanofi, a global biopharmaceutical company and healthcare leader has recently re-introduced TRITACE a brand of antihypertensive agents. The event, which took place on Wednesday 9th September in Lagos was attended by over 300 healthcare practitioners in both public and private health institutions who joined virtually across the country.

Hypertension is a condition in which the blood vessels have persistently raised pressure¹. It is a major cause of premature death worldwide, affecting over a billion people, with upwards of 1 in 4 men and 1 in 5 women living with the condition. Hypertension is the number one risk factor for stroke, heart failure, ischemic heart disease, and kidney failure². Suboptimal evaluation of hypertension and poor blood pressure control remains a major challenge in management^3.

Medical experts who spoke during the event discussed the prevalence of hypertension, the burden of disease, current management practices as well as the challenges and prospects of managing hypertension in low- and middle-income countries, such as Nigeria.

According Dr Ben Azubuike – Consultant Physician and Cardiologist, Federal Medical Center, Owerri – an estimated 70 million Nigerians are hypertensive. He revealed that patients may spend on average up to 10% of their household incomes out of pocket for treatment of hypertension.

Dr Oluwajimi Sodipo, Consultant Family Physician, advised that for a more outcome-based approach to management, physicians need to look beyond blood pressure numbers and conduct comprehensive risk assessment for the patients. Dr. Rahmat Shuaibu, Consultant Endocrinologist, University of Abuja reviewed the Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation (HOPE) studies and identified that ramipril confers additional therapeutic benefits to hypertensive patients with high risk for cardiovascular events.

TRITACE is a brand name for ramipril, an Angiotensin Converting Enzyme inhibitor (ACEI), which lowers blood pressure by causing the veins and arteries to relax. TRITACE is indicated in the management of mild-to-moderate hypertension, in patients with diabetes and at least one cardiovascular risk, in patients with non-diabetic nephropathy and in symptomatic heart failure.

The company explained during the brand presentation that TRITACE has been in use in Nigeria for about a decade but is being re-introduced at this time to reiterate its therapeutic benefits to healthcare practitioners who are involved in the management of hypertensive patients. TRITACE is available in Nigeria as 2.5mg, 5mg and 10mg tablets.

REFERENCES

1. https://www.who.int/health-topics/hypertension/#tab=tab_1
2. Ale O, Braimoh W. Hypertension treatment by primary care physicians in Lagos. Nigerian Journal of Cardiology. Volume : 14 | Issue :1 | Page : 19-25. 2017

3. Engl.Effects of an Angiotensin-Converting–Enzyme Inhibitor, Ramipril, on Cardiovascular Events in High-Risk Patients. The HOPE Study Investigators. The New England Journal of Medicine, Jan 20, 2000;342:145-153
4. Lonn, H. C. Gerstein, et al. Mechanisms of cardiovascular risk reduction with ramipril: insights from HOPE and HOPE substudies. European Heart Journal Supplements (2003) 5 (Supplement A), A43–A48
5. Acute Infarction Ramipril Efficacy Study – AIRE. American College of Cardiology. Jul 09, 2003
6. P Ruggenenti , A Perna, et al. Renal function and requirement for dialysis in chronic nephropathy patients on long-term ramipril:REIN follow-up trial. Gruppo Italiano di Studi Epidemiologici in Nefrologia (GISEN). Ramipril Efficacy in Nephropathy. Lancet 1998 Oct 17;352(9136):1252-6.
7. N M Kaplan. The CARE Study: a postmarketing evaluation of ramipril in 11,100 patients. The Clinical Altace Real-World Efficacy (CARE) Investigators
8. Long-Term Effects of Ramipril on Cardiovascular Events and on Diabetes. Results of the HOPE Study Extension. Circulation 30 Aug 2005.
9. NG-TRITACE-ramipril-Approved SPC-E-2019-06-27