title: Effects of valsartan and perindopril combination therapy on left ventricular hypertrophy and aortic arterial stiffness in patients with essential hypertension.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effects of combined therapy of an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB; valsartan) and an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI; perindopril) on blood pressure (BP), metabolic profiles, plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels, echocardiographic findings, and aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) with those of respective monotherapy in never-treated patients with essential hypertension.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective randomized trial, in which there were 31 patients with essential hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) who visited the outpatient clinic of Oita Red Cross Hospital (14 women and 17 men; mean+/-SD age, 59+/-5 years). Each patient was randomly assigned to receive valsartan (160 mg/day, V group, n=10), perindopril (8 mg/day, P group, n=11), or a combination of valsartan (80 mg/day) and perindopril (4 mg/day, V+P group, n=10) for 40 weeks. Ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM), echocardiographic findings, metabolic findings, plasma BNP levels, and brachial-ankle PWV (baPWV) were evaluated before and after the 40-week therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The baseline and post-therapeutic BP levels were similar among the three groups. At baseline ABPM, non-dipping was observed in 80, 82, and 80% in the V, P, and V+P groups, respectively. Each 40-week therapy regimen comparably reduced ABP. The plasma BNP levels (P<0.0001 for each), left ventricular mass index (LVMI) (P<0.01 for each), and PWV values (P<0.0001 for each) were also reduced. However, when compared with either V or P group, the percentage reduction in LVMI (P<0.05 and P<0.005, respectively), BNP (P<0.05 for each), and baPWV values (P<0.005 and P<0.001, respectively) was greater in the V+P group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that, when compared with each monotherapy, perindopril and valsartan combination therapy exerts greater beneficial effects regarding the regression of LVH, reduction in BNP, and improvement of PWV in a selected group of essential hypertensive patients with LVH and high prevalence of non-dipping patterns.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine 1, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, 1-1 Idaigaoka, Hasama, Oita, 879-5593, Japan.
authors.forename: Futoshi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Anan
authors.forename: Naohiko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Tatsuhiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ooie
authors.forename: Kunio
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yufu
authors.forename: Masahide
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hara
authors.forename: Mikiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
authors.forename: Hidetoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yonemochi
authors.forename: Tetsunori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saikawa
authors.forename: Hironobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshimatsu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000842:Ankle; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood; D020913:Perindopril / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011674:Pulse; D013777:Tetrazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014633:Valine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068756:Valsartan
chemical_list: D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D013777:Tetrazoles; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D000068756:Valsartan; D014633:Valine; D020913:Perindopril