Telmisartan (
Micardis®) is a prescription medicine that has been licensed to
treat high blood pressure (
hypertension) in adults. It is also approved to reduce the risk of
heart attacks,
strokes, or related deaths in people at high risk for such problems who cannot take angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, also known as ACE inhibitors (ACE inhibitors would be the preferred treatment for most people).
Telmisartan is manufactured by Boehringer Ingelheim.
How Does Telmisartan Work?
Telmisartan is part of a class of drugs called angiotensin II receptor blockers, or ARBs for short. As the name implies, it blocks angiotensin II receptors. This decreases the effectiveness of a chemical known as angiotensin II, which normally causes blood vessels to narrow (constrict). By blocking the effects of this chemical, telmisartan causes blood vessels to relax, which can
lower blood pressure.
A
blood pressure reading consists of two numbers -- for example: 120/80. The top number is known as the
systolic blood pressure, and the bottom number is the
diastolic blood pressure. During clinical studies in people taking telmisartan 80 mg, systolic
blood pressure (the top number) decreased, on average, by 12 to 13 mmHg. Diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) decreased by 7 to 8 mmHg, on average. Lower doses resulted in a smaller drop in blood pressure.
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