The use of HTN combi tx in Korea is the highest in the world

Competitiveness based on a scientific basis

Park Chang-kyu, president of the Korean Society of Hypertension, "Increase in the prescription of complex drugs"

"Scientific evidence, formulation, and drug price competitiveness are important in the competition of complex drugs"

Park Chang-kyu, Chairman of the Society of Hypertension (Korea University Guro Hospital) (photo by Dailypharm)

Korea is the best in the world for complex drugs related to hypertension and hyperlipidemia.

 

The drugs prescribed for each patient’s condition will change, but recently there is a growing trend to use complex drugs that are convenient to take.” Park Chang-gyu, chairman of the Society for Hypertension (Professor, Cardiovascular Center, Korea University Guro Hospital, 64), met with Dailypharm at the '2023 Korean Society of Hypertension Spring Conference' held at Exco in Daegu on the 20th and said this.

 

Park Chang-gyu, president of the Society, graduated from Korea University College of Medicine and received a master's degree from the graduate school.

 

He received a doctorate in internal medicine from Korea University School of Medicine.

 

He was an exchange professor at the University of Ottawa, Canada.

 

Since 2014, he has been the head of the cardiovascular center, the head of internal medicine, and the chairman of the faculty council at Korea University Guro Hospital.

 

Since last year, he has been serving as the president of the Hypertension Society.

 

Hypertension is one of the chronic diseases that most require lifelong treatment.

 

This disease can lead to a healthy life through management and treatment.

 

If it is judged asymptomatic and not treated, it can lead to fatal complications.

 

Essential hypertension occurs in 90% of hypertensive patients.

 

It is a disease that is difficult to treat because the cause is unknown.

 

Efforts to control blood pressure to normal should be made for the rest of pt's life.

 

"The trend of prescribing high blood pressure drugs has changed to prescribing a combination drug rather than giving individual drugs such as ARB or CCB," said Park.

 

"It has already been published in papers that the combination drug is beneficial for patient treatment," Park said.

 

Park also presented his opinion on areas where pharmaceutical companies can secure competitiveness in the complex drug market where competition is overheated.

 

“To strengthen the competitiveness of complex drugs, first of all, the scientific basis for the treatment effect or safety is the most important,” said Chairman Park.

 

There will be," he said.

 

Park also said, "Some companies can coat drugs well so that side effects such as gastrointestinal disorders do not appear, and some companies can develop improved formulations for drugs that are weak to moisture and can show reasonable drug prices by improving the production process." "Considering various factors such as technology and price competitiveness, we will be able to secure the competitiveness of high blood pressure combination drugs," he said.

 

With an increasing number of young hypertensive patients, “We will engage in community education and exchanges with global societies” Park also introduced that the number of young hypertensive patients is increasing and that active management and treatment are needed, as well as strengthened treatment guidelines.

 

According to HIRA's health care big data, hypertensive patients aged 20 to 29 increased from 29,123 in 2017 to 42,048 in 2021, a 44.4% increase.

 

During the same period, the number of hypertensive patients aged 30 to 39 increased by 26.6% from 166,644 to 210,890.

 

Park plans to further publicize the revised treatment guidelines in November last year for the increasing number of young hypertensive patients and health care at the age of 100 years old.

 

The revised 2022 hypertension treatment guidelines recommended lowering the target blood pressure to 130.

 

The target blood pressure was lower than the previous guideline.

 

The Society of Hypertension also gave a recommendation grade for the appropriate use of combination drugs through an amendment.

 

This means that it is recommended to consider treatment more actively than before.

 

Park said, “Now, except for simple hypertension, most hypertension meets the enhanced blood pressure standard.” “It was announced in November 2022, but education that introduces the reason for lowering the standard and research needs to be known more starting this year.” "he said.