Essential hypertension (EH) is a clinically frequent cardiovascular disease, with insidious onset, causing increased pressure load and neuroregulation disorders in patients. Long-term EH can cause left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), which can lead to arrhythmia and even death. The soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2), matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3), and galectin-3 (Gal-3) in serum plays an important role in the occurrence, development, and prognosis of cardiovascular diseases. In our study, we divided EH patients into 3 levels and groups with or without LVH, according to their condition. The levels of sST2, MMP-3, and Gal-3 in the serum were measured in different groups of patients. Our results showed that the levels of sST2, MMP-3, and Gal-3 in the serum increased progressively with the level in different EH groups. The levels of sST2, MMP-3, and Gal-3 in the serum of the LVH group were higher than those of the NLVH group, and it is positively correlated with LVH-related indexes. The risk of developing and progressing to LVH in patients with EH can be determined by the method of measuring three indicators.
Long-term Effects of Benidipine on the Regression of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Essential Hypertension.
