title: Regression of left ventricular hypertrophy during combined atenolol and nifedipine treatment.
abstract: 36 patients with previously untreated essential hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy were treated with a fixed dose combination of atenolol 50 mg and sustained release nifedipine 20 mg once daily for a mean period of 12.1 months. Echocardiography showed a significant decrease after a mean period of 7.9 months in interventricular septal thickness (13.6%, p less than 0.01), posterior wall thickness (12.6%, p less than 0.001) and left ventricular mass index (18.3%). After 12.1 months the reductions were 20.7% (p less than 0.001), 22.5% (p less than 0.001) and 30.8% (p less than 0.001), respectively. Posterior wall thickness was significantly reduced, but left ventricular end-systolic and end-diastolic dimensions and fractional shortening remained unchanged. Treatment significantly reduced resting blood pressure from 153/105 mm Hg to 122/79 mm Hg (p less than 0.001), and exercise blood pressure at 100W from 189/109 to 157/93 mm Hg (p less than 0.001). Thus, nifedipine in combination with atenolol produces significant blood pressure reduction accompanied by regression of left ventricular hypertrophy without noticeable changes in left ventricular function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Klinikum Charlottenburg, Free University, West Berlin.
authors.forename: I W
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: Franz
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Tönnesmann
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Behr
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ketelhut
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001262:Atenolol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D006332:Cardiomegaly / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004452:Echocardiography; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D001262:Atenolol; D009543:Nifedipine