Effects of enalapril on the cardiovascular response to treadmill exercise in patients with mild to moderate systemic hypertension

The effects of the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor enalapril on exercise-induced changes in blood pressure and heart rate were evaluated in 15 patients in the early stages of systemic hypertension. Multistage treadmill exercise was performed before and after eight weeks of enalapril administration, and the results of the two trials were compared. In patients at rest, enalapril decreased systolic blood pressure from 172 +/- 18 to 147 +/- 14 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure from 99 +/- 9 to 88 +/- 8 mmHg (both P less than 0.001). In patients at peak exercise, enalapril decreased systolic blood pressure from 216 +/- 13 to 195 +/- 18 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure from 106 +/- 12 to 99 +/- 12 mmHg (both P less than 0.001). There was also a significant decrease in blood pressure during the recovery period after treadmill exercise. Enalapril reduced heart rate at peak exercise (P less than 0.05), but not at rest or during recovery. Thus enalapril alleviated the response of blood pressure to exercise in hypertensive patients and may help prevent hypertensive complications during daily activities.     

Hypertensive stress increases dispersion of repolarization

Several electrocardiographic indices for repolarization heterogeneity have been proposed previously. The behavior of these indices under two different stressors at the same heart rate (i.e., normotensive gravitational stress, and hypertensive isometric stress) was studied. ECG and blood pressure were recorded in 56 healthy men during rest (sitting with horizontal legs), hypertensive stress (performing handgrip), and normotensive stress (sitting with lowered legs). During both stressors, heart rates differed <10% in 41 subjects, who constituted the final study group. Heart rate increased from 63 +/- 9 beats/min at rest to 71 +/- 11 beats/min during normotensive, and to 71 +/- 10 beats/min during hypertensive stress (P < 0.001). Systolic blood pressure was 122 +/- 15 mmHg at rest and 121 +/- 15 mmHg during normotensive stress, and increased to 151 +/- 17 mmHg during hypertensive stress (P < 0.001). The QT interval was larger during hypertensive (405 +/- 27) than during normotensive stress (389 +/- 26, P < 0.001). QT dispersion did not differ significantly between the two stressors. The mean interval between the apex and the end of the T wave (Tapex-Tend) of the mid-precordial leads was larger during hypertensive (121 +/- 17 ms) than during normotensive stress (116 +/- 15 ms, P < 0.001). The singular value decomposition T wave index was larger during hypertensive (0.144 +/- 0.071) than during normotensive stress (0.089 +/- 0.053, P < 0.001). Most indices of repolarization heterogeneity were larger during hypertensive stress than during normotensive stress. Hypertensive stressors are associated with arrhythmogeneity in vulnerable hearts. This may in part be explained by the induction of repolarization heterogeneity by hypertensive stress.     

102例危重病患者有创血压和无创血压的对比

目的比较102例危重病患者有创血压（IBP）和无创血压（NBP）测量结果的一致性。 方法收集2016年3~9月在西安交通大学第二附属医院重症医学科住院治疗的102例危重病患者的尺/桡动脉IBP和同侧上臂NBP数据1072对,先对所有数据分别按收缩压、舒张压、脉压（PP）和平均动脉压（MAP）进行配对t检验;再将数据分为高血压组（MAP≥107 mmHg）（1 mmHg=0.133 kPa）、正常血压组（70 mmHg≤MAP<107 mmHg）和低血压组（MAP<70 mmHg）三个亚组,分别进行IBP和NBP的收缩压、舒张压、PP以及MAP间的配对t检验。以P<0.05为差异具有统计学意义。 结果有创收缩压和无创收缩压之间比较,差异具有统计学意义［（128.08±35.48）mmHg vs（122.56±24.84）mmHg,t=7.896,P<0.001）］;有创舒张压和无创舒张压之间比较,差异具有统计学意义［（65.66±13.69）mmHg vs（67.98±13.31）mmHg,t=-8.294,P<0.001］;有创PP和无创PP之间比较,差异具有统计学意义［（62.42±28.93）mmHg vs（54.58±20.00）mmHg,t=11.697,P<0.001］;有创MAP和无创MAP之间比较,差异无统计学意义［（86.47±18.94）mmHg vs（86.17±15.33）mmHg,t=0.867,P=0.386］。亚组分析显示高血压组（n=254）：有创收缩压和无创收缩压之间比较,差异具有统计学意义［（163.75±33.93）mmHg vs（152.16±16.78）mmHg,t=6.52,P<0.001］,有创舒张压和无创舒张压之间比较,差异具有统计学意义［（79.17±11.03）mmHg vs（83.69±9.50）mmHg,t=-6.85,P<0.001）］,有创PP和无创PP之间比较,差异具有统计学意义［（84.57±31.50）mmHg vs （68.47±20.72）mmHg,t=9.76,P<0.001］;正常血压组（n=687）：有创收缩压和无创收缩压之间比较,差异具有统计学意义［（122.66±24.74）mmHg vs（118.70±15.14）mmHg,t=5.071,P<0.001）］,有创舒张压和无创舒张压之间比较,差异具有统计学意义［（63.97±10.34）mmHg vs（65.60±8.49）mmHg,t=-5.049,P<0.001）］,有创PP和无创PP之间比较,差异具有统计学意义［（58.69±23.05）mmHg vs （53.10±11.90）mmHg,t=7.682,P<0.001］;低血压组（n=131）：有创收缩压和无创收缩压之间比较,差异无统计学意义［（87.35±24.33）mmHg vs（85.41±11.99）mmHg,t=1.109,P=0.269］,有创舒张压和无创舒张压之间比较,差异具有统计学意义［（48.32±8.27）mmHg vs（49.98±8.06）mmHg,t=-2.073,P=0.040］,有创PP和无创PP之间比较,差异具有统计学意义［（39.03±24.00）mmHg vs（35.43±13.97）mmHg,t=1.806,P<0.001］。 结论有创收缩压大于无创收缩压、有创舒张压小于无创舒张压、有创PP大于无创PP,而有创MAP等于无创MAP。采用MAP数值较采用收缩压和（或）舒张压数值可以消除IBP和NBP测量之间的差异。     

Blood pressure in the puerperium

Blood pressure was measured by random zero sphygmomanometer in the morning and afternoon for 5 days after normal delivery in a group of 136 previously normotensive women. The number of women studied each day varied from 32 to 125. The afternoon blood pressure was higher than the morning blood pressure (differences: 1.7 mmHg systolic, 2.6 mmHg diastolic; P less than 0.05). Both systolic and diastolic blood pressures rose for the first 4 days after delivery. The average rise over the whole period was about 6 mmHg systolic and 4 mmHg diastolic (P less than 0.05). A considerable number of previously normotensive women displayed elevations of blood pressure in the puerperium. Twelve per cent of all patients exceeded a diastolic blood pressure of 100 mmHg.     

A modified method of quantifying the carotid baroreceptor-heart rate reflex in man: the effect of age and blood pressure

1. Carotid baroreceptor-heart rate sensitivity has been measured non-invasively by a modified neck-chamber method that utilizes all cardiac intervals recorded in 6 min during 84 respiratory cycles. 2. In a replication study in 10 subjects the mean baroreflex sensitivity was 5.52 ms/mmHg and the mean (SD) difference between determinations was 0.70 (0.74) ms/mmHg. 3. Baroreflex sensitivity was measured in 48 untreated subjects of mean age 43 (range 20-71) years with blood pressures ranging from 104 to 202 mmHg (13.9 to 26.9 kPa) systolic and 52 to 120 mmHg (6.9 to 16.0 kPa) diastolic [average 142/87 mmHg (18.9/11.6 kPa)]. Both systolic and diastolic pressures correlated with age (r = 0.53, P less than 0.001 and r = 0.44, P less than 0.01). 4. Baroreflex sensitivity determined throughout respiration was log-normally distributed with a median value of 2.24 ms/mmHg, which declined with age (r = -0.63, P less than 0.001). 5. After allowing for the effects of age, baroreflex sensitivity throughout respiration was not independently related to either systolic or diastolic blood pressure.     

Rectal administration of nifedipine: haemodynamic effects and pharmacokinetics in hypertensives

The haemodynamic effects and pharmacokinetics of nifedipine suppositories, used mainly for hypertensive emergencies, were studied in 10 severely hypertensive patients. Following rectal administration, significant hypotensive effects occurred after 0.5 h and lasted until 7 h after administration. The mean (+/- SE) maximum decreases in systolic and diastolic blood pressures 1.5 h after administration were: systolic, 61.8 +/- 7.9 mmHg (P less than 0.001); and diastolic, 30.8 +/- 4.0 mmHg (P less than 0.001). No serious side-effects were reported and heart rate did not change significantly. Mean nifedipine concentration in the blood peaked at 52.4 ng/ml, 1 h after administration and, after 7 h, was still 14.3 ng/ml which is higher than the minimum plasma concentration required for hypotensive effects to occur. There was a close correlation between nifedipine concentration in the blood and hypotensive effects. These results indicate that rectal administration of nifedipine should be regarded as a useful alternative treatment in hypertensive emergencies.     

Beat-to-beat agreement of non-invasive finger artery and invasive radial artery blood pressure in hypertensive patients taking cardiovascular medication

Summary. The aim of this study was to investigate and quantify the agreement between simultaneous and ipsilateral non-invasive finger artery blood pressure (Finapres®) and intra-arterial radial blood pressure among 13 volunteer hypertensive patients, aged 36–71 years and taking cardiovascular medication, during steady-state fluctuation of arterial blood pressure and during an increase in blood pressure induced by static exercise. Eight patients were being treated with beta-blocking agents, eight with calcium antagonists, four with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, four with diuretics and one with prazosin in combination therapy. Their auscultatory brachial artery blood pressures ranged in systole from 142 to 206 mmHg and in diastole from 88 to 120 mmHg during the treatment. The mean systolic finger artery blood pressure deviated by -14±5 mmHg (P=0.02, mean value±SEM) and the diastolic finger artery blood pressure deviated by 0.6±3 mmHg (P=0.70) from the corresponding radial artery pressure. The maximal beat-to-beat difference between systolic and diastolic finger and radial artery pressure, respectively, showed that a range of less than 10 mmHg in the steady state after individual adjustment for bias. In general, neither systolic nor diastolic differences between the methods exceeded the limits of ±10 mmHg, and the bias did not significantly increase (P≥0.12) during a 10-mmHg increase in arterial blood pressure caused by static exercise. Among three subjects, an increase in bias and poorer agreement was associated with atrial fibrillation and steplike changes in the Finapres output after autocalibration. The results support usage of the Finapres technique to measure beat-to-beat changes of peripheral arterial blood pressure in hypertensive patients taking cardiovascular medication, with a feasible agreement with beat-to-beat radial artery blood pressure.     

Urinary noradrenaline excretion and renal function in normal and hypertensive 50-year-old men.

1. Sympathetic nervous system activity, measured by urinary noradrenaline excretion, was determined in a group of untreated hypertensive subjects (n = 35), a reference group (n = 80) and a normotensive group (n = 51), all derived from a random population sample of 50-year-old men. It was compared with casual and resting blood pressure, urinary sodium excretion, urinary cretinine concentration and glomerular filtration rate. Hypertension was defined as systolic pressure greater than 175 or diastolic greater than 115 mmHg on two separate occasions. Normotension was defined as systolic pressure less than 160 and diastolic pressure less than 95 mmHg. 2. There was no difference in the average excretion of noradrenaline during the day or night between the reference, normotensive and hypertensive groups. None of the hypertensive patients had values for urinary noradrenaline excretion during the day above the range found in normotensive subjects, indicating that hypertension with increased sympathetic nervous system activity is uncommon when hypertension in defined as above. 3. No correlation between urinary noradrenaline excretion during the day and blood pressure was found in the reference group or in the normotensive group. In the hypertensive group, there was a negative correlation between urinary noradrenaline excretion and blood pressure after rest. This finding might indicate that factors other than sympathetic nervous system activity determine the level of blood pressure in hypertensive subjects. 4. In the hypertensive group, urinary noradrenaline excretion during the day was positively correlated with both urinary sidium excretion during the day and glomerular filtration rate. Urinary noradrenaline excretion per 24 h was positively correlated with urinary sodium excretion during the same time. High resting blood pressure, low urinary sodium excretion, low glomerular filtration rate and a reversed diurnal rhythm of urinary excretion characterized hypertensive patients with low urinary noradrenaline excretion, indicating more severe hypertension in these hypertensive patients with reduced sympathetic nervous system activity.     

Circadian rhythms in blood pressure in school-age children of normotensive and hypertensive parents

The purpose of this study was to describe the characteristics of blood pressure rhythms in school-age children and to compare the circadian mesors and amplitudes between children of normotensive parents and children of hypertensive parents. The sample consisted of 40 healthy children between 8 and 10 years old; 20 children had a parental history of hypertension and 20 did not. Blood pressure was measured every 2 hours during the day and every 90 minutes during the night for one 24-hour cycle using a Dinamap monitor equipped with an automatic printer. Cosinor analyses revealed statistically significant circadian rhythms for systolic and diastolic blood pressures in 12 of the 40 subjects. The acrophases for systolic and diastolic pressures occurred between 1200-1800 hours. The mean systolic mesor was 108.50 while the mean diastolic mesor was 61.41. The mean amplitudes were 8.85 for systolic pressure and 7.44 for diastolic pressure. No statistically significant differences in circadian mesors and amplitudes between children of normotensive parents and children of hypertensive parents were found.     

Haemodynamic responses to psychosocial stress during the menstrual cycle.

1. The haemodynamic effects of hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle were examined in 11 normotensive women (age 20-46 years). The subjects were studied on days 2-8 (follicular phase) and days 18-26 (luteal phase) in a randomized order. A standardized mental stress test and a 24 h recording of ambulatory blood pressure and heart rate were performed. 2. Pre-stress resting levels of heart rate and blood pressure were similar during the two phases of the menstrual cycle. 3. During mental stress, the heart rate response was significantly greater during the luteal phase than during the follicular phase (14.7 versus 9.7 beats/min; P less than 0.05). 4. Blood pressure, plasma catecholamine concentrations and subjective stress experience increased significantly in response to stress, without any significant differences between the two phases. 5. During 24 h ambulatory monitoring, higher levels of systolic blood pressure and heart rate were observed in the luteal phase than in the follicular phase (P less than 0.005 and P less than 0.0001, respectively). 6. These data indicate that cyclic variations in female sex hormones not only affect systolic blood pressure and heart rate, but also alter the haemodynamic responses to psychosocial stress.     

Assessment of blood pressure discrepancies in third-trimester hypertensive gravidas

Previous studies have associated hypertension with discrepancies between right arm and left arm blood pressure (BP) measurements. The purpose of this study was to determine if there were clinically (defined as > or = 10 mm Hg disparity) and statistically significant differences between right arm and left arm BP measurements (systolic, diastolic, or mean) in 34 third-trimester hypertensive gravidas. Thirty-four third-trimester normotensive gravidas were used as controls. No subjects were in active labor. This study used a cross-sectional, 2-group design with convenience sampling. The protocol for BP measurement followed guidelines of the American Heart Association and the instrument manufacturer. The results showed a greater range in BP differences between arms for the hypertensive group in the systolic (0.67-26.67 mm Hg) and mean (0.25-67 mm Hg) pressures compared with the normotensive group (systolic, 0-14.33 mm Hg; mean, 0-12 mm Hg). The mean difference in BP between arms was greater for the hypertensive group compared with the normotensive group. Using a 1-tailed t test, the mean difference was statistically significant (P < or = .05) for the systolic pressure (P = .027) and for the mean pressure (P = .022), but not the diastolic pressure (P = .168). The frequency of clinically significant differences (> or = 10 mm Hg) was greater for the hypertensive group than for the normotensive group (13 vs 4). These differences in frequencies were not statistically significant with chi-square analysis (systolic, P = .074; diastolic, P = .303; mean, P = .303). These findings indicated BP discrepancies between arms exist in both normotensive and hypertensive gravidas, with a greater range and frequency of differences in the hypertensive group. This study supports the American Heart Association's recommendation of bilateral BP assessment.     

Effects of age on body temperature and blood pressure in cold environments

Mean deep body temperature fell by 0.4 +/- 0.1 (SD) degrees C in five sedentary, clothed 63-70 year old men and by 0.1 +/- 0.1 degrees C in four young adults after 2 h exposure in still air at 6 degrees C (P less than 0.001). The mean increase in systolic and diastolic pressure was significantly greater (P less than 0.002) in the older subjects (24 +/- 4 mmHg systolic, 13 +/- 4 mmHg diastolic) than in the young (14 +/- 6 mmHg systolic, 7 +/- 3 mmHg diastolic) after 2 h at 6 degrees C. A small rise in blood pressure occurred in the older men at 12 degrees C, but there was no increase in either group at 15 degrees C. The association of variables is particularly marked between systolic blood pressure and core temperature changes at 6 degrees C. There were no appreciable cold-adaptive changes in blood pressure or thermoregulatory responses after 7-10 days repeated exposure to 6 degrees C for 4 h each day. Blood pressure elevation in the cold was slower but more marked in the older men. These changes in blood pressure may provide a possible basis for delineating low domestic limiting temperature conditions.     

Exercise-induced hypertension in normotensive patients with NIDDM

The aim of this study was to determine whether blood pressure during mild to moderate exercise is abnormal in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). The study group consisted of 11 patients with NIDDM and 11 nondiabetic subjects of comparable age and body mass index. All subjects were sedentary and basally normotensive. Bicycle ergometry was used to assess the effect of exercise on blood pressure at a steady state of 70-75 W, with a target duration of 20 min. Blood pressure was measured basally and every 5 min. Greater exercise-induced systolic blood pressure (mean max 208.0 +/- 6.0 vs. 177.0 +/- 3.0 mmHg) occurred in the NIDDM group (P less than 0.001). Neither pulse rate nor diastolic blood pressure differed between the groups before or during exercise. Return to basal pulse and blood pressure was similar. Mild to moderate exercise induces greater systolic blood pressure in sedentary patients with NIDDM. Because exercise is recommended as one therapeutic modality, intraexercise blood pressure should be considered in assessing the safety of this form of treatment.     

Nitrendipine does not impair long-term glucose control in hypertensive noninsulin-dependent diabetic patients

The subjects, 15 noninsulin-dependent diabetic hypertensive patients (mean age, 61 years) and 15 nondiabetic hypertensive patients (mean age, 60 years), received placebo for four weeks and then 20 to 40 mg of nitrendipine once daily for 24 weeks. At the end of the placebo period their blood pressures were greater than or equal to 160 mmHg systolic or greater than or equal to 95 mmHg diastolic. Blood pressures declined significantly during treatment in both patient groups; after 24 weeks, 13 of 15 diabetic patients and 12 of 15 nondiabetic patients were normotensive (diastolic blood pressure less than 90 mmHg). Meanwhile, heart rate, indices of glycemic control (serum glucose, hemoglobin A1c, fructosamine, and C-peptide levels), and serum lipids (cholesterol, high-density cholesterol, triglycerides, apolipoprotein A1 and B levels) did not change. It is concluded that nitrendipine does not impair glucose or lipid metabolism in diabetic hypertensive patients.     

Prevalence of hypertension in diabetes mellitus--its relation to diabetic nephropathy

The prevalence of hypertension was studied in 374 patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and in 1197 non-diabetic controls. The diagnosis of hypertension was made when the mean systolic pressure of three measurements on different occasions was 151 mmHg or greater, or the mean diastolic pressure was 91 mmHg or greater. The prevalence was 42.8% in the diabetics and 17.8% in the controls. It showed a significant difference over age 31 (p less than 0.05). Proteinuria (p less than 0.001), abnormal ECG (p less than 0.01), hyperlipidemia (p less than 0.05) and hypertensive or sclerotic changes of the retina (p less than 0.001) were more frequently observed in the diabetics than in the controls. Hypertension was found in 71% of those with proteinuria, 48% with diabetic retinopathy, 61% with abnormal ECG and 54% with hyperlipidemia in the diabetics. The incidence of proteinuria was 22.8% in the diabetic hypertensives and was 8.3% in the non-diabetic hypertensives (p less than 0.001). 24 subjects out of 119 diabetics, who were normotensive at their initial visits, became hypertensive within 10 years (N-H), and 95 remained normotensive (N-N). 38% of N-H showed proteinuria already on their initial examinations and 3% of N-N did. 73% of those who showed proteinuria on their initial examination became hypertensive and 13% of those who were free from proteinuria did (p less than 0.001). The results suggest that diabetic nephropathy plays an important role in developing hypertension in diabetics.     

Uncontrolled hypertension is associated with a rapid progression of nephropathy in type 2 diabetic patients with proteinuria and preserved renal function

The relationship between blood pressure and progression of nephropathy was studied (the mean follow-up period of 32.6 +/- 17.9 (S.D.) months in 20 Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetic patients with clinical nephropathy (proteinuria greater than 0.5 g/day) and preserved renal function (serum creatinine level less than 150 mumol/liter). Fifteen hypertensive patients under antihypertensive treatment were divided into 2 groups: those with the mean diastolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 90 mmHg and/or the mean systolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 150 mmHg during the follow-up period were designated as Group A (n = 6) and the remainders as Group B (n = 9). Five normotensive patients without any anti-hypertensive treatment throughout the follow-up period served as a control group (Group C). The decline rate in GFR was significantly greater (p less than 0.05) in Group A (1.15 +/- 0.39 (S.E.) ml/min/month) than those in Groups B (0.33 +/- 0.08 ml/min/month) and C (0.40 +/- 0.09 ml/min/month), respectively. The decline rate in GFR showed significant positive correlations both with systolic (rS = 0.553, p less than 0.05) and diastolic (rS = 0.493, p less than 0.05) blood pressures in the 15 hypertensive patients. The age, initial glomerular filtration rate, duration of diabetes and mean HbA1c level during the observation period were comparable in Groups A, B and C, respectively. The results indicate that an uncontrolled hypertension is associated with a rapid progression of kidney impairment in Type 2 diabetic patients with overt nephropathy, as has been suggested in Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic patients.     

Diastolic blood pressure is related to urinary sodium excretion in hypertensive Chinese patients

We studied 70 Hong Kong Chinese patients with untreated hypertension and 47 normotensive controls. Blood pressure measurements and 24-h urine collection were performed for each patient, and were repeated 12 weeks later in 14 hypertensive patients who remained untreated. Twenty-two hypertensive patients underwent ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. The primary hypothesis tested was a correlation between diastolic blood pressure and 24-h urinary sodium excretion. In the hypertensive patients, diastolic blood pressure correlated with 24-h urinary sodium excretion (r=0.41, p<0.001), even after adjustment for age, gender, body mass index, ethanol intake and season (r=0.34, p=0.02). In normotensive controls, diastolic blood pressure did not correlate with sodium excretion (r=0.21, p=0.16). A correlation between diastolic blood pressure and sodium excretion was also observed in the patients who underwent ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (r=0.47, p=0.026), and in repeat measurements in untreated patients (r=0.60, p=0.02). Systolic blood pressure did not correlate with sodium excretion, although it increased with patient age (0.6+/-0.1 mmHg/year, p<0.001). In a multiple regression analysis with diastolic blood pressure as the dependent variable, the regression coefficient was 0.06+/-0.02 mmHg/mmol Na. The regression coefficients for ambulatory diastolic blood pressure and diastolic pressure repeated at 12 weeks were 0.07+/-0.03 and 0. 09+/-0.04 mmHg/mmol Na, respectively. Urinary sodium excretion was related to diastolic blood pressure in our hypertensive patients, accounting for 17% of the variance of diastolic blood pressure.     

The adjunctive effect of telmisartan in patients with hypertension uncontrolled on current antihypertensive therapy

This prospective, double-blind, randomised, parallel-group, multicentre study assessed the adjunctive effect of telmisartan monotherapy versus placebo in controlling blood pressure during the last six hours of the 24-hour dosing period. After a two-week run-in phase, 375 patients with essential hypertension uncontrolled on existing therapy were randomised to either placebo or telmisartan (40 mg uptitrated to 80 mg after four weeks, if needed) for eight weeks. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) was conducted at randomisation (baseline) and treatment end. The change from baseline in diastolic blood pressure (DBP) over the last six hours (primary endpoint) was significantly greater with telmisartan than placebo (adjusted mean treatment difference in favour of telmisartan: -3.7 mmHg, 95% confidence interval (CI) -5.5, -1.9 mmHg, p < or = 0.001, n = 350), as was the reduction in 24-hour DBP (adjusted mean treatment difference: -5.0 mmHg, 95% CI -6.5, -3.5 mmHg, p < or = 0.001). Telmisartan also reduced mean systolic blood pressure significantly more than placebo over the last six hours and the entire 24-hour dosing interval. Responder rates (ABPM DBP, seated DBP, and overall [seated SBP/DBP]) at 8 weeks were significantly higher with telmisartan than with placebo (p < or = 0.01). All treatments were well tolerated. When added to existing antihypertensive regimens, telmisartan offers additional effectiveness while maintaining placebo-like tolerability.     

Oestradiol-induced hypotension in spontaneously hypertensive rats: putative role for intracellular cations, sodium-potassium flux and prostanoids.

1. The effect of oestradiol alone and in combination with indomethacin on blood pressure, erythrocyte cation concentration and Na(+)-K+ flux has been studied in adult female normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats. 2. Oestradiol alone resulted in a significant decrease in blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats (from 165.3 +/- 3.9 to 146.4 +/- 2.7 mmHg, P less than 0.001), whereas it induced a significant increase in normotensive rats (from 111.8 +/- 1.8 to 124.1 +/- 3.6 mmHg, P less than 0.001). When indomethacin and oestradiol were administered simultaneously or when indomethacin was given alone, no change in blood pressure occurred in spontaneously hypertensive rats (158.6 +/- 6.9 and 159.8 +/- 6.2 mmHg, respectively). 3. The fall in blood pressure induced by oestradiol in spontaneously hypertensive rats was associated with significant reductions in erythrocyte K+ concentration (from 127.4 +/- 1.2 to 116.9 +/- 1.7 mmol/l of cells, P less than 0.001), in erythrocyte Na+ concentration (from 14.3 +/- 0.8 to 13.0 +/- 0.6 mmol/l of cells, P less than 0.02), in ouabain-sensitive erythrocyte Na+ flux (from 17.8 +/- 0.3 to 16.0 +/- 0.4 mmol h-1 (l of cells)-1, P less than 0.01) and in ouabain-sensitive erythrocyte K+ flux (from 11.4 +/- 0.2 to 10.4 +/- 0.2 mmol h-1 (l of cells)-1, P less than 0.01). No change in blood pressure, erythrocyte cation concentration or Na(+)-K+ flux occurred when oestradiol and indomethacin were given together or when indomethacin was administered alone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Diastolic pressure in type 2 diabetes: can target systolic pressure be reached without "diastolic hypotension"?

The practicality of vigorous lowering of systolic pressure in diabetes to <130 mmHg remains uncertain. Baseline blood pressure data from several recent trials indicate that, in diabetic subjects, there is nearly a fourfold excess in systolic pressure (the difference between baseline pressure and target pressure) over diastolic pressure with respect to the recommended systolic/diastolic target pressure of <130/80 mmHg. Additionally, systolic pressure was 2-3 mmHg higher and diastolic pressure was 1-3 mmHg lower in diabetic hypertensive than in nondiabetic hypertensive individuals, which adds approximately 4 mmHg to pulse pressure and also to the difference between the excess systolic and excess diastolic pressure. We attempted to force (titrate both systolic and excess diastolic pressure) systolic and diastolic blood pressure to <130/85 mmHg based on Joint National Committee VI guidelines in the setting of a clinical practice in 257 diabetic patients. Although target systolic pressure was attained in a third of this cohort, in 57% of the patients, the attained diastolic pressure was 相似文献