title: Long-term effect of efonidipine therapy on plasma aldosterone and left ventricular mass index in patients with essential hypertension.
abstract: A certain percentage of aldosterone (ALD) breakthrough generally occurs in patients with hypertension and chronic heart failure and is an important issue during long-term treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-I) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB). It has been reported that efonidipine decreases the plasma levels of ALD. However, the long-term effects of efonidipine on the plasma levels of ALD and the left ventricular mass index (LVMI) remain unknown in patients with hypertension. Sixty stable outpatients with essential hypertension who had received amlodipine and ACE-I or ARB for more than 1 year were randomized into two groups (amlodipine group (n=30): continuous amlodipine treatment at a stable dose; efonidipine group (n=30): amlodipine (5 mg day(-1)) was changed to efonidipine at a dose of 40 mg day(-1)). There was no difference in their baseline characteristics including the LVMI and plasma levels of ALD. In the amlodipine group, there were no significant changes in blood pressure, LVMI or plasma levels of ALD for 18 months. In the efonidipine group, blood pressure did not change after replacement of amlodipine with efonidipine, although there was a significant decrease in the plasma levels of ALD after 6 months. The decrease in ALD was sustained for 18 months and LVMI was significantly decreased after 18 months (121+/-25 vs. 114+/-21 g m(-2), P<0.05). There was a significant correlation between the changes in LVMI and % changes of ALD in the efonidipine group. These findings indicate that the effect of efonidipine on the suppression of plasma ALD was sustained for at least 18 months and that long-term efonidipine therapy decreases LVMI in patients with essential hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular and Respiratory Medicine, Shiga University of Medical Science, Tsukinowa, Seta, Otsu 520-2192, Japan. tutamoto@belle.shiga-med.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takayoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsutamoto
authors.forename: Toshinari
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Keizo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishiyama
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamaji
authors.forename: Chiho
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kawahara
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Horie
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000097:blood*; D017311:Amlodipine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004095:Dihydropyridines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood; D009596:Nitrophenols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012083:Renin / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D004095:Dihydropyridines; D009596:Nitrophenols; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D017311:Amlodipine; C066425:efonidipine; D000450:Aldosterone; D012083:Renin