[Effect of hypotensive therapy on oxygen metabolism in middle-aged and elderly hypertensive patients]

The authors studied the effect of hypotensive therapy with Rauwolfia preparations, dopegit and hemiton on oxygen tension in tissues (PO2), oxygen consumption by the body (QO2) and the state of hemodynamics: arterial pressure (AP), cardiac index (CI) and total peripheral vascular resistance (TPVR). They examined 108 elderly and old patients with II stage hypertensive disease. It was established that the tissue PO2 increases in decrease of AP attended by a decrease in TPVR and increase in CI, but reduces in decrease in CI and increase in TPVR. In the last case, however, the work of the heart diminishes. Maintenance hypotensive therapy in the period of normalized AP in individuals with unstable hypertension aggravates hypoxia. The decrease in QO2 encountered in half the patients who were treated was attended by a reduction in systolic pressure; no decrease of AP was encountered in cases of increase in QO2 which testifies to a connection between the changes in hemodynamics and the state of tissue oxygen requirements.