A meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of candesartan in Chinese patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension

This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Candesartan in treating Chinese patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension. Medical databases and review articles were screened with prespecified criteria for randomized controlled trials that reported the effects of and adverse reactions to Candesartan and other antihypertensive drugs in treating of Chinese patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension. The quality of included studies was critically evaluated. A total of 735 articles were found and 19 articles were finally included. Heterogeneity test: efficacy analysis (Q statistic = 4.60, p = 1.00, I2 = 0%), safety analysis (Q statistic = 12.19, p = 0.84, I2 = 0%). The results of Meta-analysis confessed that there were no significant differences either in efficacy or safety between Candesartan and other active antihypertensive agents. Funnel-plot displayed a symmetrical figure, indicating there was no publication bias. In an analysis excluding the 6 low quality trials, our results were unchanged indicating the sensitivity of the Meta-analysis was fine. The evidence currently available shows that Candesartan has the similar efficacy and safety compared with other active antihypertensive agents with mild to moderate essential hypertension.