Effects of sibutramine on the treatment of obesity in patients with arterial hypertension.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effects of weight reduction with 10mg of sibutramine or placebo on blood pressure during 24 hours (ambulatory blood pressure monitoring), on left ventricular mass, and on antihypertensive therapy in 86 obese and hypertensive patients for 6 months.


METHODS
The patients underwent echocardiography, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, and measurement of the levels of hepatic enzymes prior to and after treatment with sibutramine or placebo.


RESULTS
The group using sibutramine had a greater weight loss than that using placebo (6.7% versus 2.5%; p<0.001), an increase in heart rate (78.3 +/- 7.3 to 82 +/- 7.9 bpm; p=0.02), and a reduction in the left ventricular mass/height index (105 +/- 29.3 versus 96.6 +/- 28.58 g/m; p=0.002). Both groups showed similar increases in the levels of alkaline phosphatase and comparable adjustments in antihypertensive therapy; blood pressure, however, did not change.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of sibutramine caused weight loss and a reduction in left ventricular mass in obese and hypertensive patients with no interference with blood pressure or with antihypertensive therapy.
Faria
Alessandra Nunes
AN
Hospital do Rim e Hipertensão, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. ale_faria@uol.com.br
Ribeiro Filho
Fernando Flexa
FF
Lerario
Daniel Diniz G
DD
Kohlmann
Nárcia
N
Ferreira
Sandra Roberta Gouvea
SR
Zanella
Maria Teresa
MT
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001067:Appetite Depressants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D003503:Cyclobutanes / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000187:drug effects
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D001067:Appetite Depressants; D003503:Cyclobutanes; C058254:sibutramine