Treatment with irbesartan or atenolol improves endothelial function in essential hypertension

• OBJECTIVES: To investigate if antihypertensive treatment could improve endothelium-dependent vasodilatation in hypertensive patients, and whether the angiotensin II subtype-1 (AT1)-receptor antagonist irbesartan and the beta1-receptor antagonist atenolol would differ in this respect. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Thirty-four patients (28 men and six women) with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension (diastolic blood pressure 90-120 mmHg) were randomized to once daily 150-300 mg irbesartan or 50-100 mg atenolol in a double-blind fashion, preceded by a placebo run-in period. Forearm blood flow (FBF) was assessed by venous occlusion plethysmography during local intra-arterial infusions of methacholine and sodium nitroprusside, to evaluate endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent vasodilatation, respectively. Measurements of FBF were undertaken at the end of the run-in placebo period and repeated after 3 months of active antihypertensive treatment. RESULTS: Irbesartan and atenolol induced a similar decline in blood pressure (from 171/107 to 158/98 mmHg, P < 0.05), and improved endothelium-dependent vasodilatation (e.g. an increase in FBF response to 4 microg/min methacholine from 325 +/- 29% to 411 +/- 41%, P < 0.05), with no difference between the two study drugs. No significant changes in endothelium-independent vasodilatation were induced by irbesartan or by atenolol. CONCLUSIONS: The present study shows that 3 months of antihypertensive therapy with irbesartan or atenolol improves endothelium-dependent vasodilatation.

Nyckelord

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists/*therapeutic use

Antihypertensive Agents/*therapeutic use

Atenolol/*therapeutic use

Biphenyl Compounds/*therapeutic use

Double-Blind Method

Endothelium; Vascular/*drug effects/*physiopathology

Female

Forearm/blood supply

Humans

Hypertension/*drug therapy/*physiopathology

Male

Middle Aged

Receptor; Angiotensin; Type 1

Receptors; Angiotensin/antagonists & inhibitors

Regional Blood Flow/drug effects

Research Support; Non-U.S. Gov't

Tetrazoles/*therapeutic use

Vasodilation/drug effects

MEDICINE

MEDICIN

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