title: Changes in the haemodynamics of large arteries induced by single doses of nicardipine, enalapril, atenolol and urapidil.
abstract: Haemodynamic changes in the carotid and brachial arteries produced by single doses of four anti-hypertensive drugs (nicardipine, enalapril, atenolol, and urapidil) have been studied in 12 patients with essential hypertension. Measurements were performed noninvasively using a mechanographic method and B-mode pulsed Doppler ultrasonography. Within 7 h all of the drugs had caused a significant reduction in blood pressure, whereas heart rate showed a significant change only after atenolol. All the drugs produced a marked reduction in brachial pulse-wave velocity. Only nicardipine caused a significant reduction in vessel wall tension both in the carotid and brachial arteries, while brachial peripheral resistance was significantly reduced by all the drugs except atenolol. Neither atenolol nor enalapril caused any significant reduction in carotid peripheral resistance. The results show that all four antihypertensive drugs led to a beneficial increase in arterial compliance despite their different effects on peripheral resistance.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Clinica Medica, Università di Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pancera
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arosio
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Priante
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ribul
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zannoni
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Talamini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lechi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001262:Atenolol / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004656:Enalapril / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009529:Nicardipine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D010879:Piperazines; D001262:Atenolol; D004656:Enalapril; C015568:urapidil; D009529:Nicardipine