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Published on: March 1, 2022

Irbesartan and atenolol improve diastolic function in patients with hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy

Richard Müller-Brunotte1, Magnus Edner, Karin Malmqvist

  • 1Division of Internal Medicine, Karolinska Institutet Danderyd Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.

Journal of Hypertension
|February 18, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Both irbesartan and atenolol improved diastolic function in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy similarly. However, irbesartan offered additional benefits in improving isovolumic relaxation time.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Pharmacology
  • Hypertension Research

Background:

  • Abnormal diastolic filling is prevalent in hypertensive left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy, a risk factor for heart failure.
  • The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system is implicated in the pathogenesis of LV hypertrophy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effects of 48-week treatment with irbesartan (AT1 receptor blocker) and atenolol (beta-blocker) on diastolic function in hypertensive patients with LV hypertrophy.

Main Methods:

  • Doppler echocardiography was used to assess diastolic function in 115 hypertensive patients with LV hypertrophy.
  • Key parameters included E/A ratio, E-wave deceleration time, isovolumic relaxation time, pulmonary venous flow velocity, and atrioventricular valve plane displacement.

Main Results:

  • Both irbesartan and atenolol similarly improved diastolic function, including E/A ratio and pulmonary venous flow velocity.
  • Irbesartan showed a greater reduction in LV mass index and uniquely improved isovolumic relaxation time, linked to LV geometry changes.
  • Atenolol's diastolic function improvement was solely associated with blood pressure reduction.

Conclusions:

  • Treatment with either atenolol or irbesartan equally enhances diastolic function in hypertensive LV hypertrophy.
  • The mechanisms driving these improvements differ between the two drug classes.
Abstract

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