Impact of long-term therapy with eprosartan on the structural and functional state of the heart and large vessels and on the autonomic regulation of circulation in patients with arterial hypertension

To examine the effects of eprosartan on the remodelling of the heart and large vessels, on endothelial dysfunction and autonomic circulatory regulation in patients with hypertensive disease, thirteen patients were included into the study: Doppler echocardiographic study and evaluation of left ventricular diastolic function were performed on a Vingmed CFM800 apparatus: the thickness of the carotid intima-media complex and the diameter of the brachial artery were determined on the same apparatus using a 7.5-MHz transducer in the reactive hyperemia test. Automatic balance was evaluated by the spectral assay of cardiac rhythm variations. The cardiopulmonary component of baroreflex was also tested. Blood pressure normalized in 3 patients following 24 weeks of therapy with eprosartan in a daily dose of 600 mg. Two patients were excluded due to therapeutic inefficiency. In the remaining patients, the antihypertensive effect was incomplete. The mass of the left myocardial myocardium decreased by 10.8%. there was an increase in brachial arterial dilatation in the reactive hyperemia test. The variations of cardiac rhythm were not significantly changed, the baroreflex tended to be decreased. Thus, long-term eprosartan therapy improves the structural and functional state of the heart and vessels and fails to affect the autonomic regulation of circulation.