title: [Echocardiographic analysis of anatomical and functional changes in the left heart ventricle during antihypertensive treatment with nicardipine].
abstract: Changes in hemodynamic variables regulating systolic function were assessed by M-mode echocardiography, under 2D control, in 11 patients with primary uncomplicated hypertension treated with nicardipine (60 mg/daily). At the end of treatment (8 weeks) blood pressure and end-systolic stress were greatly reduced (p less than 0.001), and systolic fractional shortening was increase (p less than 0.02). The percentage increase in fractional shortening was correlated with a decreased in end-systolic stress (r = 0.67). The index of left ventricular performance (systolic pressure/end-systolic dimension ratio) was reduced: no variation was found in the hypertrophy-independent index of the inotropic state (systolic pressure/end-systolic dimension ratio normalized for posterior wall thickness). No change in the inotropic state was caused by a negligible sympathetic reflex outflow: heart rate also remained unchanged. The only index of left ventricular hypertrophy which was slightly reduced after two months of treatment was left ventricular mass (p less than 0.001). In conclusion, the short-term treatment with nicardipine, in hypertensive patients, showed powerful effects in the improvement of systolic function; the possible regression of left ventricular hypertrophy must be confirmed in long-term therapy.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Medicina Interna e Malattie Dismetaboliche, II Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia dell'Università degli Studi di Napoli.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Costantino
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Di Lorenzo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Buonissimo
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Moccia
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Soro
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Ferrara
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Simone
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D006332:Cardiomegaly / Q000188:drug therapy; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009529:Nicardipine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013599:Systole / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D009529:Nicardipine
vernacular_title: Analisi ecocardiografica delle variazioni anatomiche e funzionali del ventricolo sinistro in corso di trattamento antiipertensivo con nicardipina.