[Effect of simvastatin on cardiac fibrosis in patients with essential hypertension].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the effect of simvastatin on myocardiac fibrosis in patients with essential hypertension (EH).


METHODS
Sixty EH patients were randomly assigned into 2 groups: Benazepril (10 mg/d) group (n = 28) and simvastatin (20 mg/d) + benazepril (10 mg/d) group. Procollagen type III aminoterminal peptide (PIIIP), and procollagen type IV aminoterminal peptide (PIVP) levels in serum as well as transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFbeta1) level in plasma were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA) before and 6 months after the treatment. Doppler ultrasound recordings were obtained from all patients before and 6 months after the treatment to determine several parameters related to the left ventricular anatomy and function.


RESULTS
After 6 month of treatment, the mean blood pressure (MBP), PIIIP, PIVP, TGFbeta1, left ventricular mass index (LVMI), interventricular spectum dimension (IVSD), and left ventricular posterio wall dimension (LPWD) in the 2 groups were significantly lower than those before the treatment. TGFbeta1 decreased in the simvastatin and benazepril group compared with the benazepril group (P < 0.01). The ratio of early diastolic blood flow velocity of mitral valve (VE) and blood flow velocity of atrium systolic period (VA) in the 2 groups significantly increased after 6 months of treatment, and the ratio in the simvastatin and benazepril group was significantly higher than that in the enazepril group (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Angiotension converting enzyme inhibitor combined with simvastatin is helpful to reduce the myocardial fibrosis and to improve the left ventricular hypertrophy and diastolic function in EH patients.
Zhang
Guo-Gang
GG
Department of Cardiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China. xyzzgg@sina.com
Zhang
Sai-Dan
SD
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001552:Benzazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D001552:Benzazepines; D019821:Simvastatin; C044946:benazepril