[Relationship between regression of hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy and improvement of coronary flow reserve].
OBJECTIVE
To elucidate the relationship between regression of hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and changes of coronary flow reserve (CFR).


METHODS
Ninety-six essential hypertensive patients with LVH were randomly divided into 3 groups: ramipril group, losartan group, and combination group. Before the treatment and 6 months after the treatment, left ventricular mass (LVM) was calculated by three-dimensional echocardiography and CFR was evaluated by transesophageal echocardiography with left anterior descending artery. CFR was calculated as the ratio of coronary flow velocity, after intravenous injection of dipyridamole (D), to rest peak velocity (R). All the indexes of the CFR were corrected by LVM.


RESULTS
(1) The systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and LVM were significantly decreased in ramipril group, losartan group and combination group after 6 months treatment (all P < 0.01). Diastolic flow velocity integral was used as one representative index of CFR. Compared with baseline values, the diastolic flow velocity intergral corrected by LVM (D/R DVi(C)) was significantly increased in ramipril group, losartan group and combination group (1.83 +/- 0.61 vs 1.57 +/- 0.58, P < 0.05; 1.94 +/- 0.45 vs 1.53 +/- 0.64, P < 0.01; 2.03 +/- 0.38 vs 1.49 +/- 0.34, P < 0.01). (3) The changes of D/R DVi(C) showed a positive correlation with the changes of LVM (r = 0.579, P < 0.05) and no significant correlation with the decrease of blood pressure (r = 0.288 and 0.295,both P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Ramipril, losartan and combination of these two drugs all reduce blood pressure and LVH, and increases CFR. CFR corrected by LVM may help assess drug's effect on CFR. Improvement of CFR is associated with the regression of hypertensive LVH.
Xu
Rui
R
Department of Cardiology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China.
Zhang
Yun
Y
Zhang
Mei
M
Ge
Zhi-ming
ZM
Li
Xiu-chang
XC
Zhang
Wei
W
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003326:Coronary Circulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D019560:Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019808:Losartan / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017257:Ramipril / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D019808:Losartan; D017257:Ramipril