[Effects of gastrodin injection on blood pressure and vasoactive substances in treatment of old patients with refractory hypertension: a randomized controlled trial].
OBJECTIVE
To examine and determine the contents of endothelin (ET) and nitric oxide (NO) in plasma, and to observe the effects of gastrodin injection on blood pressure, ET and NO levels in old patients with refractory hypertension.


METHODS
A total of 63 old patients with refractory hypertension, 30 patients with common hypertension and 30 healthy people were included. The contents of ET and NO in plasma of patients in different groups and healthy people were examined and analyzed. The old patients with refractory hypertension were randomly divided into two groups: gastrodin-treated and routine treatment groups. Besides conventional hypotensive drugs, intravenous drip infusion of 1 000 mg gastrodin was administered to the patients in gastrodin-treated group for two courses (4 weeks), while the patients in routine treatment group were treated only with conventional hypotensive drugs. The changes of blood pressure, ET and NO levels before and after treatment in different groups were measured.


RESULTS
The plasma level of ET in refractory hypertension group was higher than that in common hypertension group (t=3.27, P=0.008), while the level of NO was lower (t=-3.81, P=0.002). The systolic pressure and pulse pressure difference in gastrodin-treated group were decreased significantly after one course of treatment (t=1.85, P=0.03; t=1.74, P=0.04). The level of ET in gastrodin-treated group decreased gradually after treatment, but there were no significant difference between before treatment and two courses of treatment, while the level of NO in gastrodin-treated group was increased after treatment (t=-2.70; P=0.04).


CONCLUSIONS
Gastrodin injection is beneficial to old patients with refractory hypertension, and can improve the balance of ET and NO levels in plasma.
Zhang
Qin
Q
Department of VIP, the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310003, China.
Yang
Yun-mei
YM
Yu
Guo-you
GY
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001592:Benzyl Alcohols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D016232:Endothelins / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005960:Glucosides / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood*; D008517:Phytotherapy
D001592:Benzyl Alcohols; D016232:Endothelins; D005960:Glucosides; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C045345:gastrodin