Regression of alterations in retinal microcirculation following treatment for arterial hypertension.
Evaluation of early hypertension-related alterations in retinal microcirculation has been subjective and poorly reproducible. The authors recently described a semiautomatic computerized system for evaluation of the calibre of retinal blood vessels that has shown very good reproducibility. In the study, this system was used to measure the calibres of retinal arterioles and veins, and their ratio, in a group of 51 hypertensive outpatients before and after 6 months of treatment with losartan or, if required for satisfactory blood pressure control, losartan plus hydrochlorothiazide. Mean retinal arteriole diameter increased from 0.0842 +/- 0.003 mm to 0.0847 +/- 0.003 mm (p = 0.001). Arteriovenous ratio increased from 0.753 +/- 0.03 to 0.756 +/- 0.03 (p = 0.005). This observation suggests regression of early hypertension-related alterations in retinal microcirculation after 6 months of antihypertensive treatment.
Pose-Reino
Antonio
A
Internal Medicine and Ophthalmology Services, Hospital de Conxo, Complexo Hospitalario, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain. antoniopose@telefonica.net
Rodríguez-Fernández
Marta
M
Hayik
Bashir
B
Gomez-Ulla
Francisco
F
Carrera-Nouche
María José
MJ
Gude-Sampedro
Francisco
F
Estévez-Nuñez
Juan Carlos
JC
Méndez-Naya
Isabel
I
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012160:Retina / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012161:Retinal Artery / Q000503:physiopathology; D012169:Retinal Vein / Q000503:physiopathology
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents