REGRESSION OF LEFT-VENTRICULAR HYPERTROPHY WITH LISINOPRIL THERAPY IN PATIENTS WITH MILD TO MODERATE HYPERTENSION

With the development of essential hypertension there is an increase in peripheral vascular resistance. This pathophysiologic process causes the heart to hypertrophy in order to adjust to the increased load. This is an adaptive mechanism which later becomes pathologic causing many of the late complications of hypertension. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of Lisinopril on LVH regression in patients with mild to moderate hypertension who were treated with this drug. 22 patients were given a therapeutically effective dose of Lisinopril and observed over a 12 weeks period. Using MRI for assessment there was demonstrated an average reduction of 13.4% (2,71 mm) in the interventricular septum and an average reduction of 15.4% (3.14 mm) in the LV posterior wall. There was a significant reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The LVEF as measured by echocardiography in the parasternal long axis view demonstrated no significant change with therapy (prior to study 65.4%, after 63.2%).