title: Approach to a successful selection of antihypertensive drugs for the patient with atherosclerosis.
abstract: Coronary heart disease has become a medical and public health issue associated with multiple risk factors such as age, diet, and sedentary life style. Associations between hypertension and atherosclerosis have been extensively studied, and several trials have demonstrated antiatherosclerotic properties in some of the most widely used antihypertensive agents. Hence, calcium channel blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and angiotensin receptor blockers have been the target for a number of controlled randomized trials studying its effect on atherosclerosis progression. Carotid intima-media thickness measurement by ultrasound is used as surrogate of atherosclerosis in most of these controlled trials. This review of the literature aims to summarize the most significant controlled trials involving antihypertensive therapy and atherosclerosis regression based on the carotid intima-media thickness measurement.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Jose Maria Vargas School of Medicine, Central University of Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela. manuel.veloscom@gmail.com
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Velasco
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rojas
authors.forename: Valmore B
authors.initials: VB
authors.lastname: Pirela
mesh_terms: D057911:Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
chemical_list: D057911:Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers