[Non-invasive detection of endothelial dependent dilatation dysfunction in patients with essential hypertension]

With high-resolution ultrasound, we measured the diameter of the brachial arteries at rest, during reactive hyperaemia (with increase flow causing endothelium-dependent dilatation), and after sublingual glyceryl trinitrate(GTN; causing endothelium-independent dilatation) in 61 subjects, consisting of 30 controls with normal blood pressure(NP) and 31 patients with established essential hypertension(EH). The results showed that in patients with EH, flow-mediated dilatation in arteries was much reduced for comparison with control group(P < 0.01). However, there was no significant difference in response to GTN between two groups(P > 0.05). It indicates that endothelium-dependent vasodilation is impaired in patients with essential hypertension.