title: Metabolic effects of combined antihypertensive treatment in patients with essential hypertension.
abstract: Single-drug treatment of essential hypertension (HT) is often insufficient to normalize blood pressure (BP), and high doses of antihypertensive agents can have adverse effects on glucose tolerance (GT) and insulin sensitivity. This study tested whether aggressive BP lowering with combination treatment had any influence on GT or insulin action. In all, 29 nonobese (body mass index [BMI], <30 kg/m ), normolipidemic patients with established HT (159 +/- 3/99 +/- 1 mm Hg) but normal GT were recruited. Eleven normotensive (125 +/- 3/85 +/- 1 mm Hg) subjects were matched to the patients for both anthropometric and metabolic variables. Following baseline studies (serum lipid profile, oral GT, insulin release, and insulin sensitivity assessed by the insulin clamp technique), patients were randomized in a double-blind fashion to two combination regimens (verapamil 180 mg/day + trandolapril 2 mg/day or atenolol 50 mg/day + nifedipine 20 mg/day) and restudied 3 months later. Blood pressure was normalized in both groups (with decrements of 25 +/- 5/17 +/- 2 and 29 +/- 3/15 +/- 2 mm Hg, respectively). Lipid profile, GT, insulin release, and insulin sensitivity of both glucose uptake and lipolysis were unchanged following both treatments. The authors conclude that in nonobese, normolipidemic, glucose-tolerant hypertensive patients, BP normalization with combination therapy is feasible at no cost in terms of undesired effects on glucose and lipid metabolism and insulin sensitivity.
authors.affiliation: National Research Council (CNR) Institute of Clinical Physiology and Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pisa School of Medicine, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Quiñones-Galvan
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pucciarelli
authors.forename: Demetrio
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ciociaro
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Masoni
authors.forename: Ferdinando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Franzoni
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Natali
authors.forename: Ele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ferrannini
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001262:Atenolol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007211:Indoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D014700:Verapamil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D001786:Blood Glucose; D007211:Indoles; D007328:Insulin; C052035:trandolapril; D001262:Atenolol; D002784:Cholesterol; D014700:Verapamil; D009543:Nifedipine