Meta-analysis finds amlodipine–ARB combination improves hypertension control vs monotherapy

BackgroundSome clinical guidelines recommend initiating combination antihypertensive therapy as first-line treatment rather than monotherapy. Evidence indicates that a substantial proportion of patients with hypertension require more than one antihypertensive agent to achieve recommended blood pressure targets. However, it remains unclear whether the benefits of initiating combination therapy outweigh the potential risks compared with antihypertensive monotherapy.ObjectiveThis systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to assess the efficacy of blood pressure control and the risk of drug-related adverse events associated with amlodipine monotherapy compared against first-line combination therapy of amlodipine and an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) in patients with primary hypertension.MethodsA systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, PubMed Central, and the Cochrane Library up to 15 November 2025, using the following search terms: “amlodipine” AND “angiotensin receptor blocker” AND “primary hypertension” AND “randomized controlled trial.” Only randomized controlled trials comparing amlodipine monotherapy with first-line combination therapy of amlodipine and an ARB, administered for at least 8 weeks, were included. The primary outcomes were blood pressure control and drug-related adverse events. Meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager (RevMan), version 5.4.ResultsBased on six included studies, the analytical results showed that combination therapy with Calcium Channel Blocker (CCB) and an ARB was associated with 2.25 (odds ratio = 2.25: 95% CI: 1.78–2.83) times odds ratio with statistically significant overall effect (P