title: Assessment of effects of two anti-hypertensive regimens on overall cardiovascular risk.
abstract: Anti-hypertensive drugs differ in their effects on other cardiovascular risk factors. To date there have been few attempts to quantitate the impact of such differences. Twenty five unmedicated patients with primary hypertension were randomised to initial therapy with either the calcium antagonist, felodipine, or a diuretic and doses titrated to achieve similar levels of blood pressure (BP). Second drugs were added if needed (metoprolol and prazosin, respectively). The aim was to determine over 1 year whether similar anti-hypertensive effects were associated with differences in a multivariate index of overall cardiovascular risk. The target supine diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (85 mm Hg) required the second agent in four of 13 evaluable patients in the felodipine group and six of 10 in the diuretic group. There was a significant rise in serum cholesterol and a fall in serum potassium in the diuretic group, but not in the felodipine group. Cardiovascular risk scores were ranked in percentiles in relation to the age-matched general population. This score fell to a greater degree in felodipine patients particularly over the first 6 months, but remaining lower at 12 months. Left ventricular hypertrophy assessed by echocardiography, another measure of cardiovascular risk, was generally unchanged by either regimen. At equivalent blood pressure levels, the calcium antagonist-based regimen had a greater benefit on cardiovascular risk, particularly in the first 6 months of therapy. This method may be widely applicable in the assessment of anti-hypertensive therapy.
authors.affiliation: Alfred and Baker Medical Unit, Baker Medical Research Institute, Prahan, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Jennings
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sudhir
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Laufer
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Korner
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Reid
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004232:Diuretics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D015736:Felodipine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008790:Metoprolol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011224:Prazosin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D004232:Diuretics; D002784:Cholesterol; D008790:Metoprolol; D015736:Felodipine; D011224:Prazosin