Effects of lisinopril vs hydralazine on left ventricular hypertrophy and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in essential hypertension

In order to compare the long-term effects on ambulatory bloodpressure and left ventricular hypertrophy of hydralazine andlisinopril we studied 30 patients, all , nales, still hypertensive(diastolic blood pressure 95 mmHg) despite combined beta-blockerldiuretictherapy and with echocardiographic evidence of left ventricularhypertrophy (left ventricular mass index 131 g. m^–1)They were randomized to receive hydralazine slow release 50mg twice daily or lisinopril 20mg once daily in addition toprevious therapy (atenolol 50 mglchlorthalidone 125 mg) for6 months. Casual blood pressure, non-invasive ambulatory bloodpressure monitoring (ABPM), M-mode echocardiogram, plasma reninactivity and plasma catecholamines were evaluated before therandomization and after 6 months of treatment. Both drugs significantlyreduced casual as well as daytime systolic and diastolic bloodpressure, without statistical differrences between the two treatments.Lisinopril was sign more effective than hydralazine in reducingnight-time systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Plasma norepinephrinewas significantly reduced by lisinopril and increased by hydralazine.Left ventricular mass was significantly reduced by lisinoprilbut not by hydralazine. The results of linear regression andmultiple regression analysis suggested that the lisinopril-induceddecrease in both day- and night-time blood pressure might accountfor the regression of left ventricular hypertrophy, whereasthe lack of left ventricular hypertrophy regression during hydralazinetreatment could be due mainly to the reflex sympathetic activationinduced by the drug.