BAROREFLEX SENSITIVITY IN PATIENTS WITH E SSENTIAL-HYPERTENSION - ROLE OF ENALAPRIL

A lower baroreflex-heart rate sensitivity (BRS) has previously been de scribed in patients with essential hypertension. The aim of the presen t paper was to examine if a therapy with the ACE-inhibitor enalapril m odulates BRS. Ten hypertensives (II, WHO), who had been treated for on e year with enalapril (daily dose, 13.3 +/- 2.1 mg), and ten normotens ives were examined. 24-hour ambulatory brood pressure monitoring (Accu -tracker II), blood-pressure-following bicycle ergometry and forearm v ascular resistance using occlusion-plethysmography were investigated. BRS Nas determined using the computation of power spectral density of heart rate (RR-interval) and systolic blood pressure fluctuations (non -invasive blood pressure measurement using Penaz's method, Finapres, O hmeda, 5 minutes, metronom breathing). Enalapril treatment decreased b lood pressure during 24-hour-monitoring and following exercise, normal ised peripheral resistance, bur did not increase the BRS.