REGRESSION OF LEFT-VENTRICULAR HYPERTROPHY IN HYPERTENSIVE ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH CARVEDILOL

In hypertensive patients, the development of left ventricular hypertro phy seems to increase the risk of cardiovascular death although some a ntihypertensive agents have been associated with regression in left ve ntricular hypertrophy. A few studies have evaluated the carvedilol, a new drug having a balanced pharmacology of vasodilatation and beta-rec eptor blockade, particularly in elderly hypertensive patients. To test its effects on left ventricular hypertrophy, patients with essential hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy were studied before and at the end of 6 months of therapy with 25 mg of carvedilol daily. Cand idates had to have moderate, uncontrolled essential hypertension with echocardiographically(2) documented left ventricular hypertrophy (left ventricular mass index > 130 g/m(2) for men and > 110 g/m(2) for wome n). Of 26 patients selected, 4 dropped out. The remaining 22 patients successfully completed 6 months of therapy. The average age was 69 +/- 8 years. Carvedilol caused a significant reduction of mean systolic b lood pressure from 175 to 145 mmHg (p < 0.001), of diastolic blood pre ssure from 102 to 82 mmHg (p < 0.001) of left ventricular mass index f rom 148 +/- 24 g/m(2) (p < 0.003), and a non significant change of the mean heart rate from 78 to 72 beats/min. In our study, carvedilol was well tolerated in patients with essential hypertension and left ventr icular hypertrophy.