title: Plasma fibrin clot properties in arterial hypertension and their modification by antihypertensive medication.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We sought to determine plasma fibrin clot properties in hypertensive subjects and to evaluate potential effects of antihypertensive therapy on these parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-one patients (30 men, 31 women) with essential arterial hypertension stage 1 or 2 (aged 46.6 ± 14.4 years), free of clinically evident vascular disease, were randomly allocated for monotherapy with one of the 5 antihypertensive agents, i.e. quinapril, losartan, amlodipine, hydrochlorothiazide, or bisoprolol. Plasma fibrin clot permeability, turbidimetry and efficiency of fibrinolysis were investigated at baseline and after 6 months of therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Baseline systolic blood pressure in a 24-hour ambulatory monitoring was correlated with clot permeability (r=-0.37, p<0.05), lysis time (r=0.42, p<0.05) and maximal D-dimer concentration released from clots (r=0.45, p<0.05). Antihypertensive treatment resulted in reduction of systolic/diastolic blood pressure in office measurements and 24-hour monitoring (all p<0.001), accompanied by an increase in clot permeability, reduction in clot lysis time and lower maximal D-dimer concentration released from fibrin clots (all p<0.05). No changes were observed in turbidimetric variables. Posttreatment changes in plasma fibrin clot properties were related to reductions in systolic blood pressure, complement component C3 and total cholesterol.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Reduction in systolic blood pressure during antihypertensive treatment leads to increased plasma fibrin clot permeation and susceptibility to lysis, which might be a novel antithrombotic mechanism of blood pressure lowering therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology & Hypertension, Institute of Cardiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rajzer
authors.forename: Wiktoria
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wojciechowska
authors.forename: Kalina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawecka-Jaszcz
authors.forename: Anetta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Undas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017311:Amlodipine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017298:Bisoprolol / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005337:Fibrin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006852:Hydrochlorothiazide / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019808:Losartan / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077583:Quinapril; D044005:Tetrahydroisoquinolines / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D044005:Tetrahydroisoquinolines; D006852:Hydrochlorothiazide; D017311:Amlodipine; D005337:Fibrin; D019808:Losartan; D000077583:Quinapril; D017298:Bisoprolol