Hydrochlorothiazide Is Superior to Isradipine for Reduction of Left Ventricular Mass: Results of a Multicenter Trial

Objectives. We sought to determine the efficacy of isradipine in reducing left ventricular (LV) mass and wall thickness in hypertensive patients.

Background. LV hypertrophy on the echocardiogram is a strong predictor of cardiovascular events. Reduction of LV mass may be a desirable goal of drug therapy for hypertension. However, although thiazide diuretic drugs have been advocated as first-line therapy for hypertension, their efficacy in reducing LV mass has been questioned.

Methods. Patients with mild to moderate diastolic hypertension and LV mass in excess of 1 SD of normal values were randomized to isradipine (n = 89) or hydrochlorothiazide therapy (n = 45). Evaluations were obtained at baseline, after 3 and 6 months of treatment and 2 weeks after treatment was stopped.

Results. At 6 months, LV mass decreased by 43 ± 45 g (mean ± SD) with hydrochlorothiazide (p < 0.001) but only by 11 ± 48 g with isradipine (p = NS; between-group comparison, p < 0.001). Two weeks after drug therapy was stopped, LV mass remained 24 ± 41 g lower than that at baseline in the hydrochlorothiazide group (p = 0.003) but only 7 ± 50 g lower in the isradipine group (p = NS). Septal and posterior wall thicknesses were significantly and equally reduced with both isradipine and hydrochlorothiazide. Greater LV mass reduction with hydrochlorothiazide was related to a 2.8 ± 3.3-mm reduction of LV cavity size with hydrochlorothiazide but no reduction with isradipine. At 6 months of treatment, diastolic blood pressure (BP) by design was equally reduced in both treatment groups. At 3 months, systolic BP was reduced by 17 ± 15 mm Hg with isradipine and by 26 ± 15 and 25 ± 17 mm Hg at 3 and 6 months, respectively, with hydrochlorothiazide (p = 0.003, between-group comparison). However, on stepwise multivariable regression analysis, treatment selection (partial r² = 0.082, p = 0.001), change in average 24-h systolic BP (partial r² = 0.032, p = 0.029) and change in average sitting systolic BP (partial r² = 0.017, p = 0.096) were predictive of LV mass reduction.

Conclusions. Despite an equivalent reduction of diastolic BP, 6 months of therapy with hydrochlorothiazide is associated with a substantial reduction of LV mass, greater than that with isradipine. The superior efficacy of hydrochlorothiazide for LV mass reduction is associated with a greater reduction of systolic BP as well as drug selection itself. These data may have important therapeutic implications.