title: Regression of alterations in retinal microcirculation following treatment for arterial hypertension.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine and Ophthalmology Services, Hospital de Conxo, Complexo Hospitalario, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain. antoniopose@telefonica.net
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pose-Reino
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Fernández
authors.forename: Bashir
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hayik
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gomez-Ulla
authors.forename: María José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Carrera-Nouche
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gude-Sampedro
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Estévez-Nuñez
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Méndez-Naya
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents