[Correction of endothelial dysfunction in patients with essential hypertension and type 2 diabetes]

Presence of comorbidity in patients--that is essential hypertension and type 2 diabetes is associated with early progression of target organs affection and cardiovascular complications. Hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance are some of the factors that determine the frequency of cardiovascular complications in type 2 diabetes. According to some authors, endothelial dysfunction is a link between insulin resistance and cardiovascular diseases. To investigate severity of endothelial dysfunction in patients with essential hypertension and type 2 diabetes and its correction by using a complex treatment α-lipoic acid we have examined 84 patients with essential hypertension stage II and type 2 diabetes in a moderate condition before and after 6 months treatment. The patients were divided into two groups: the first one consisted of the patients who received only basic therapy, and another one consisted of those patients who in addition to basic therapy received also α-lipoic acid in tablets at a dose of 600 mg/day. After the investigation it was discovered that changes in the vascular wall in patients with essential hypertension and type 2 diabetes are characterized by increase of intima-media thickness and pulse wave velocity in the carotid arteries and abdominal aorta, decrease of endothelium-dependent vasodilation degree and increase of the levels of proinflammatory cytokines. Under the influence of the mentioned complex therapy in these patients it was found some improvement of metabolic homeostasis and correction of endothelial dysfunction. The effect on the structural and functional state of great vessels and proinflammatory cytokines, gained due to additional prescription of α-lipoic acid to the patients with essential hypertension and type 2 diabetes, was more considerable that the one which was shown in the group of patients who received only standard therapy.