title: Effect of Low Dose Atorvastatin Therapy on Baroreflex Sensitivity in Hypertensives.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Impaired baroreflex function is associated with a shift in autonomic balance towards sympathetic dominance, which may play important role in the development of arterial hypertension and consequent target organ damage.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of treatment on the cardiovascular autonomic modulation expressed by baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) in hypertensives.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of one hundred fourteen hypertensive patients (58 male/56 female, 65 ± 13 years of age, BMI 30 ± 3.4 kg/m(2)) were enrolled. Control group of 20 subjects with normal blood pressure (BP) (ten male/ten female, 59 ± 8 years of age, body mass index 28.3 ± 2.5 kg/m(2)) without any treatment was also studied. BRS and BRSf were determined by the sequence and spectral method: a 5-min on-invasive beat-to-beat recording of blood pressure and R-R interval with use of Collin CBM-7000 monitor, controlled breathing at a frequency of 0.1 Hz.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant negative correlation between spontaneous BRS and BP was present in hypertensives (r = -0.52, p < 0.001). All cohort of hypertensive patients had significantly lower BRS than subjects with normal blood pressure (p < 0.05). The greatest decline in BRS values was in hypertensive patients with metabolic syndrome, who had BRS values <5 ms/mmHg. Hypertensives with hypercholesterolaemia on low dose statin therapy (atrovastatin 20 mg) had higher BRS/BRSf values than statin free patients (p < 0.05). Only BRSf not BRS was significantly increased in hypertensives with beta-blockers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An inverse correlation between blood pressure and BRS is present in hypertensives. BRS and BRSf is higher in low dose statin-treated patients with essential hypertension.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University and University Hospital, Mickiewiczova 13, 813 69, Bratislava, Slovak Republic. denisa.celovska@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Denisa
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Celovska
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Structural Biology and Proteomics, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Palackeho tr 1/1946, 613 00, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kruzliak
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Oviedo and Central University Hospital of Asturias (HUCA), Oviedo, Asturias, Spain.
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rodrigo
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, East Slovak Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Pavol Jozef Safarik University, Kosice, Slovak Republic.
authors.forename: Jozef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gonsorcik
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University and University Hospital, Mickiewiczova 13, 813 69, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sabaka
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, East Slovak Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Pavol Jozef Safarik University, Kosice, Slovak Republic.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gaspar
authors.affiliation: Department Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical Faculty, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Delian
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Delev
authors.affiliation: Institute of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University in Ljubljana, Vrazov trg 2, Ljubljana, Slovenia.|International Center for Cardiovascular Diseases Medicor, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Petrovic
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University and University Hospital, Mickiewiczova 13, 813 69, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
authors.forename: Andrej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dukat
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University and University Hospital, Mickiewiczova 13, 813 69, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
authors.forename: Ludovit
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gaspar
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D062186:Arterial Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D000069059:Atorvastatin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D017704:Baroreflex / Q000187:drug effects*; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000294:innervation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D000069059:Atorvastatin
keywords: Arterial hypertension; Autonomic nervous system; Baroreflex sensitivity; Metabolic syndrome; Statins