Abstract

AIMS
To compare the effects of nebivolol and ramipril on left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertensive patients.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The study was conducted with a pre-randomised blinded endpoint (PROBE) design in which 106 patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy were randomised to ramipril (n = 52) or to nebivolol (n = 54) and treated for 39 weeks. The doses of ramipril and nebivolol were 2.5 and 5 mg/day, respectively. After 4-8 weeks, in patients with not normalised diastolic blood pressure, a thiazide diuretic was added (indapamide 2.5 mg or hydrochlorothiazide 12.5 mg/day). In the ramipril group, thiazide diuretic was added in 97% of subjects and in nebivolol group in 92%. The effect of treatment on left ventricular mass was assessed by two-dimensional guided M-mode transthoracic echocardiography, at baseline and at the end of the treatment. Left ventricular mass index (LVMI) was calculated and indexed to body surface area (g/m2) and height2.7 (g/height2.7). Blood pressure (BP) was measured at baseline, after 4, 8, 12, 24 and 39 weeks with a standard mercury sphygmomanometer.
RESULTS
Both left ventricular mass (LVM) and mass index (LVMI) decreased significantly after treatment with ramipril (LVMI -14.8 g/m2, -7.3 g/height2.7; p < 0.001), and after treatment with nebivolol (LVMI -31.9 g/m2, -15.6 g/height2.7; p < 0.001). The difference between ramipril and nebivolol (-17.1 g/m2, -8.3 g/height2.7) with regards to reduction of LVMI was statistically significant (p < 0.001). No differences were observed between the two groups in terms of normalization of LVMI. Both drugs decreased BP similarly after 39 weeks of treatment
CONCLUSIONS
The present study shows that both nebivolol and ramipril decrease LVMI. Nebivolol 5 mg/daily treatment reduced LVMI significantly more than ramipril 2.5 mg/daily. Both drugs similarly decreased BP during the treatment.

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Authors

Cağlar N, Dincer I

Institution

Ibn Sina Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Ankara, Ankara, Turkey. nailcaglar@gmail.com

Source

European review for medical and pharmacological sciences 15:12 2011 Dec pg 1359-68

MeSH

Antihypertensive Agents
Benzopyrans
Blood Pressure
Drug Therapy, Combination
Ethanolamines
Female
Humans
Hypertension
Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular
Male
Middle Aged
Prospective Studies
Ramipril
Sodium Chloride Symporter Inhibitors
Treatment Outcome

Pub Type(s)

Comparative Study
Journal Article
Multicenter Study
Randomized Controlled Trial
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Language

eng

PubMed ID

22288296