REGRESSION OF LEFT-VENTRICULAR HYPERTROPHY DURING LONG-TERM ANTIHYPERTENSIVE TREATMENT - A COMPARISON BETWEEN FELODIPINE AND THE COMBINATION OF FELODIPINE AND METOPROLOL

Seventy-six hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy (L VH) were randomized to receive felodipine or felodipine plus metoprolo l in a double-blind parallel-group study. The doses of each treatment regimen were titrated to obtain a diastolic blood pressure (BP) of < 9 5 mmHg. The duration of the treatment was 9 months. At the end of the study, BP was significantly reduced in both groups, and the reduction did not differ between the groups. Left ventricular posterior wall and septum thickness were significantly and similarly reduced in both gro ups. Left ventricular systolic and diastolic end diameters were not si gnificantly changed. Left ventricular mass (LVM) was significantly and similarly reduced in both treatment groups, as was the ratio of LVM a nd left ventricular end diastolic volume. In conclusion, felodipine an d the combination of felodipine and metoprolol reduced left ventricula r hypertrophy to the same extent when BP was similarly reduced.