Effect of levamlodipine besylate on vascular function in patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension

Objective To examine the effect of levamlodipine besylate on blood pressure(BP),aortic pulse pressure,aortic augmentation index,brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity in patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension. Methods The study was conducted in seven hospitals(community service centers)in Shanghai,where 253patients(129men and 124women)with a diagnosis of mild-to-moderate essential hypertension based on 24-hour ambulatory BP were recruited. After a washout period of 2weeks,all patients aged from 45to 70(57.6±7.0)years were randomly assigned to the treatment group(levamlodipine besylate:2.5mg/d;n=129)or the control group(amlodipine besylate:5.0mg/d;n=124). After 24-week treatment,changes in BP and parameters of vascular function were assessed. Results Compared with pre-treatment,the clinic,24-hour and central BP were all significantly reduced(P0.01)in the two groups,while there was no substantial difference(P0.05)after 24-week treatment between the two groups. After adjusting for age and body height,compared with pre-treatment,the brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity,aortic pulse pressure,aortic augment index and ambulatory arterial stiffness index were all significantly decreased[(1598.1±238.6)vs(1757.9±338.5)cm/s,(41.9±11.7)vs(49.6±12.2)mm Hg,25.1± 7.9vs 29.0±8.2and 0.41±0.11vs 0.47±0.10]in the levamlodipine besylate group and[(1584.7±226.7)vs(1742.8±228.5)cm/s,(42.6±15.2)vs(50.0±14.6)mm Hg,25.7±7.1vs 29.6±8.2and 0.44±0.11vs 0.49±0.12]in the amlodipine besylate group,respectively. After treatment,there was no significant difference in these parameters between the two groups. No statistically significant difference was also found for ankle-brachial blood pressure index,carotid intima-media thickness and the plaque size after treatment in both groups(P0.05). Conclusions Levamlodipine besylate at 2.5mg/d and amlodipine besylate at 5.0mg/d had the similar effects on the BP reduction and the improvements of vascular function.