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Effect of perindopril on pulse-wave velocity and endothelin-1 in black hypertensive patients

Elzbieta Osuch1, Willem J Du Plooy, Sandra H Du Plooy

  • 1Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Medicine, MEDUNSA Campus, University of Limpopo, South Africa.

Cardiovascular Journal of Africa
|August 24, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Perindopril therapy significantly improved arterial elasticity in black hypertensive patients, as shown by reduced pulse-wave velocity (PWV). Endothelin-1 levels were not correlated with these improvements.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Investigated perindopril's impact on arterial elasticity and endothelin-1 (ET-1) in black hypertensive patients.
  • Arterial elasticity assessed via pulse-wave velocity (PWV).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effect of perindopril on arterial elasticity and ET-1 levels.
  • To determine if perindopril improves vascular function in hypertensive individuals.

Main Methods:

  • Forty-four newly diagnosed hypertensive patients received 4 mg perindopril daily for nine months.
  • Noninvasive PWV measurements were taken along carotid-femoral and brachial-ulnar segments.
  • ET-1 levels were monitored throughout the study.

Main Results:

  • Significant improvement in arterial elasticity observed, indicated by a decrease in carotid-femoral PWV from 11.6 to 7.5 m/s.
  • Treatment group's final PWV (7.5 m/s) was lower than healthy volunteers (8.2 m/s), though not statistically significant.
  • No significant correlation found between ET-1 levels and PWV changes.

Conclusions:

  • Perindopril enhances arterial elasticity in hypertensive patients, beyond its blood pressure-lowering effects.
  • The observed improvement in vascular function is not associated with changes in ET-1 levels.
Abstract

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