Regression of left ventricular mass in hypertensive patients treated with perindopril/indapamide as a first-line

Nicola de Luca1, Jean-Michel Mallion, Michael F O'Rourke

  • 1Clinica Medica, Napoli, Italy. nideluca@unina.it

Insights

The perindopril/indapamide combination significantly reduced left ventricular mass (LVM) and LV hypertrophy in hypertensive patients more effectively than atenolol. This finding highlights a superior treatment option for managing cardiac remodeling in hypertension.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Pharmacology
  • Hypertension Research

Background:

  • Elevated left ventricular mass (LVM) is linked to poor outcomes in hypertensive individuals.
  • Arterial stiffness, systolic blood pressure (BP), and pulse pressure (PP) are key determinants of LVM.
  • The perindopril/indapamide combination shows greater efficacy than atenolol in normalizing BP and arterial function.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the effectiveness of a first-line perindopril/indapamide combination versus atenolol in reducing LVM in hypertensive patients.
  • To assess the impact of these treatments on echocardiographic indices of left ventricular hypertrophy.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized, double-blind, parallel-group study (REASON) involving 214 patients with essential hypertension.
  • M-mode two-dimensional-guided echocardiography was used to measure LVM and related indices.
  • Patients were treated for 12 months with either perindopril (2 mg)/indapamide (0.625 mg) or atenolol (50 mg).

Main Results:

  • Both treatments effectively reduced brachial BP over 12 months.
  • Perindopril/indapamide achieved a significantly greater reduction in systolic BP compared to atenolol.
  • The perindopril/indapamide group showed significantly greater regression of LVM, LVMI1, and LVMI2 compared to the atenolol group, particularly in patients with baseline LV hypertrophy.

Conclusions:

  • First-line treatment with perindopril/indapamide is more effective than atenolol for reducing echocardiographic indices of LVM and LV hypertrophy in hypertensive patients.
  • This combination therapy offers a superior approach to managing cardiac remodeling associated with hypertension.
Abstract