title: Effects of one-year treatment with rilmenidine on systemic hypertension-induced left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertensive patients.
abstract: In patients with essential hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) increases the risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Thus its reversal represents one of the principal end-points of antihypertensive treatment. We assessed the cardiovascular effects of 1-year antihypertensive treatment with rilmenidine (1 or 2 mg/day orally), a new oxazoline with a potent antihypertensive action that acts selectively through imidazoline-preferring receptors. In 11 hypertensive patients (mean age, 49 +/- 2 years) with LVH, we measured systemic hemodynamics, large artery compliance, cardiac anatomy, and endocrine function. Patients underwent M-mode and 2-dimensional echocardiography as well as Doppler and peripheral pulsed Doppler flowmetry, determination of plasma atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) levels and renin activity (PRA), and of 24-hour urinary electrolyte and creatinine excretion in control conditions (systolic/diastolic blood pressure, 148 +/- 3/102 +/- 1 mm Hg), 4 weeks after blood pressure normalization (131 +/- 2/84 +/- 2 mm Hg; p < 0.01), after 1 year of satisfactory antihypertensive treatment (142 +/- 3/90 +/- 1 mm Hg; p < 0.01) and, finally, 1 month after therapy withdrawal (155 +/- 3/106 +/- 2 mm Hg; difference not significant [NS]). One-year of rilmenidine treatment induced an improvement in brachial artery compliance (from 0.92 +/- 0.06 to 1.16 +/- 0.08 cm4/dyne; p < 0.05), which persisted after withdrawal of treatment (1.17 +/- 0.06 cm4/dyne; p < 0.05). LVH was reversed after 1 year of rilmenidine treatment (from 152 +/- 5 to 131 +/- 4 g/m2 body surface area; p < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Trimarco
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rosiello
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sarno
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lorino
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rubattu
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: DeLuca
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Volpe
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000097:blood; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D005542:Forearm / Q000098:blood supply; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010080:Oxazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012083:Renin / Q000097:blood; D000077769:Rilmenidine; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D010080:Oxazoles; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor; D012083:Renin; D000077769:Rilmenidine