Effect of losartan on left ventricular hypertrophy in patients with essential hypertension

Objective To study the effect of losartan on left ventricular hypertrophy in patients with essential hypertension.Methods The study population consisted of 60 essential hypertension patients,22 of them with left ventricular hypertrophy.All patients received losartan 50mg per day for half year.Left ventricular diameter and left ventricular mass index were measured by echocardiography.Results The losartan significantly decreased systolic blood pressure [from(156.9±8.9)mmHg to(138.7±1.2)mmHg],diastolic blood pressure [from(101.3 ±7.5)mmHg to (85.9±6.1)mmHg] in patients with essential hypertension(P0.01).For the patients with left ventricular hypertrophy,losartan reduced both left ventricular end diastolic diameter [from(51.2±3.2)mm to(46.8±5.2)mm] and left ventricular mass [from(245.6±24.9)g to(237.1±22.4)g ](P0.05).Meanwhile there were obvious improvements of diastolic left ventricular posterior wall thickness [from(11.9±0.6)mm to(11.2±0.5)mm],ventricular septum thickness[from(13.4±0.8)mm to(11.7±1.5)mm]and left ventricular mass index(from 138.2±24.1 to 116.2±24.3)(P0.01).Conclusion Losartan is a effective drug to reverse left ventricular hypertrophy.