Effects of l-amlodipine and amlodipine on vascular endothelial function and serum cholesterol in patients with essential hypertension

AIM: To compare the effects of l amlodipine and amlodipine on endothelial function and serum cholesterol in patients with essential hypetensive(EH). METHODS: Sixty patients were randomly divided into either l amlodipine 2.5 mg daily or amlodipine 5 mg daily groups.Healthy subjects were selected as control group without using any drug. After 6 wk treatment the brachial artery diameters and serum cholesterol levels were measured. Both drugs were crossed after 6 wk, the brachial artery diameter and serum cholesterol level were measured again. The changes of each object were analysed. The effects of two drugs were compared. The relativity between endothelial function and hypertensive risk rank was analysed. RESULTS: The FMD(%) were all improved in both l amlodipine and amlodipine groups compared with base line ((4±4)% vs (6±7)%, P 0.01, (3±4)% vs (6±8)%, P 0.01)) after 6 wk treatment with l amlodipine or amlodipine. There was no difference between both EH groups ( P 0.05). After crossing the two drugs the same result was got. After 12 wk treatment the serum cholesterol levels decreased significantly in both groups ( P 0.05). The two groups had no difference ( P 0.05). The changes of FMD(%) have a negative correlation with the hypertensive risk rank. CONCLUSION:Both l amlodipine and amlodipine can improve the endothelial function of hypertensive patients. They can decrease the serum cholesterol level simultaneously. The endothelial function decreased with the increasing of hypertensive risk rank.