Telmisartan with amlodipine fixed-dose combination tablets (Twynsta) PBS listedTelmisartan with amlodipine fixed-dose combination tablets (Twynsta) PBS listed

Published 2011-06-01 00:00:00

Consider a fixed-dose combination for people on stable doses of the individual drugs | Minimise confusion about drug therapy | References

From 1 June 2011, telmisartan with amlodipine fixed-dose combination tablets (Twynsta) can be prescribed on the PBS for people who have inadequate blood pressure control with either telmisartan or amlodipine alone.1

Consider a fixed-dose combination for people on stable doses of the individual drugs

Compared with taking each drug separately, fixed-dose combination tablets allow people to take fewer tablets each day and can result in less out-of-pocket expenses because only one co-payment is required for both drugs.

However, the usual considerations that apply to fixed-dose combination tablets remain important.2 Establish the effective dose using the individual drugs first.3 Consider whether the available strengths of the fixed-dose combination allow the same doses of each drug to be given: not all strengths of each drug are available in a fixed-dose combination tablet (see Table 1).

Table 1: Current PBS-listed telmisartan-containing preparations1,4

Drug
 Brand name

Strengths available

telmisartan

Micardis

40 mg
80 mg

telmisartan with hydrochlorothiazide

Micardis Plus

40 mg / 12.5 mg
80 mg / 12.5 mg
80 mg / 25 mg

telmisartan with amlodipine

Twynsta

40 mg / 5 mg
40 mg / 10 mg
80 mg / 5 mg
80 mg / 10 mg
 

Minimise confusion about drug therapy

Show people which drugs are being replaced by the fixed-dose combination tablet. Explain that:

  • the individual drugs are no longer required, and
  • the risk of errors is reduced by returning unneeded drugs to a pharmacy for safe disposal.

References

  1. Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee. Recommendations made by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) in March 2011 relating to the listing of drugs on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Canberra: Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, 2011. http://www.pbs.gov.au/info/industry/listing/elements/pbac-meetings/pbac-outcomes/2011-03 (accessed 3 May 2011).
  2. Moulds RFW. Combination products — love them or loathe them? Aust Prescr 2001;24:127–9. http://www.australianprescriber.com/magazine/24/5/127/9/
  3. National Blood Pressure and Vascular Disease Advisory Committee. Guide to management of hypertension 2008. Assessing and managing raised blood pressure in adults (updated December 2010). Sydney: National Heart Foundation, 2008. http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/Professional_Information/Clinical_Practice/Hypertension.htm (accessed 9 May 2011).
  4. Department of Health and Ageing. PBS for Health Professionals. Canberra, 2011. www.pbs.gov.au/ (accessed 9 May 2011).
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Date published: 2011-06-01 00:00:00

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