[Effect of different single agent antihypertensive therapies on peri-foveal microcirculation in patients with arterial hypertension].
OBJECTIVE
Arterial hypertension is known to be an important risk factor for cerebral and cardiovascular disease. Previous studies have demonstrated alterations in the perifoveal microcirculation in patients with essential hypertension. During follow-up a progression of these alterations has been reported. In the present study we quantified the retinal microcirculation of patients with hypertension under different systemic antihypertensive medication.


METHODS
The patients were divided into three groups according to their medication. Group 1 was treated with beta-blocker (n = 17), group 2 with ACE inhibitors (n = 10), and group 3 with calcium channel blockers (n = 11). All patients underwent fluorescein angiographic studies with a scanning laser ophthalmoscope. Perifoveal intercapillary areas (PIA) and the mean perifoveal capillary velocity were quantified from the angiograms.


RESULTS
Compared with reference values, all three groups of patients with essential hypertension showed significantly increased PIA and significantly decreased capillary velocity. No difference could be detected between the three groups of patients treated with beta-blocker, ACE inhibitor or calcium channel blocker.


CONCLUSIONS
Alterations of the perifoveal network are found in patients with arterial hypertension. These alterations are similar under antihypertensive monotherapy using beta-blocker, ACE inhibitor or calcium channel blocker.
Kutschbach
P
P
Augenklinik RWTH Aachen.
Wolf
S
S
Cremer
S
S
Toonen
F
F
Reim
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005584:Fovea Centralis / Q000098:blood supply*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D009887:Ophthalmoscopy
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents
Einfluss unterschiedlicher antihypertensiver Monotherapien auf die perifoveale Mikrozirkulation bei Patienten mit arterieller Hypertonie.