The repercussion of stopping reimbursement of olmésartan on antihypertensive drugs prescription and blood pressure control of treated hypertensive patients in France

Abstract Objective Since January 2017, olmesartan-based treatments are no longer reimbursed by French health insurance. Health authorities have recommended switch to one of the “many effective, better tolerated and reimbursed alternatives”. The objective of this study was to evaluate the consequences on the prescription of antihypertensive drugs in France and to evaluate the blood pressure control of treated hypertensive patients after the switch from olmesartan to another Angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB). Methods To evaluate antihypertensive prescriptions, the French League Against Hypertension Survey (FLAHS) was conducted in 2007, 2012 and 2017 by self-questionnaire sent by mail to a representative panel of the population living in metropolitan France aged 35 years and over. Antihypertensive treatments were grouped by pharmacological class. To evaluate blood pressure control in hypertensive patients treated with olmesartan alone or in combination, 3 home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) were performed. The first and the second were performed without modification of the dose of olmesartan. The third was performed 1 month after the switch to another ARB. Results Antihypertensive prescriptions changed between 2007 and 2017. Beta-blockers decreased between 2007 and 2012 and then increased slightly. Between 2012 and 2017, ARB and diuretics decreased and ACE inhibitors (ACE-I) and calcium antagonist (CA) drugs increased. Blood pressure control was assessed in 82 hypertensive patients aged 63 ± 11 years treated with olmesartan. The difference in SBP/DBP between the first 2 self-measurements was −0.96/−0.83 mmHg. After therapy switch, the 3rd self-measurement showed an increase in SBP/DBP of 3.4/1.2 mmHg. In the subgroup of olmesartan-treated controlled hypertensive patients, the switch to another ARB lead to uncontrolled hypertension for 20% of patients with a 12.1 mmHg increase in SBP. Conclusion With the halt of reimbursement of olmesartan, there was a decrease in the prescription of ARB in France. When olmersartan was replaced by another ARB, a worse blood pressure control was observed in treated hypertensive patients. The cessation of the reimbursement of olmesartan has had consequences on the treatment of hypertension in France.