OBJECTIVES OF HIGH BLOOD-PRESSURE TREATMENT - LEFT-VENTRICULAR HYPERTROPHY, DIASTOLIC FUNCTION, AND CORONARY RESERVE

The prehypertrophic state of hypertensive heart disease is characteriz ed by morphologic changes (interstitial fibrosis, increase in intramyo cardial arteriolar wall thickness) as well as by functional alteration s (diastolic dysfunction, decrease in coronary reserve). These changes most probably represent the earliest cardiac end-organ lesions that c an clinically be detected. In cardiac hypertrophy, long-term (9-12 mon ths) pharmacotherapy with P-blockers, calcium channel blockers, or ACE inhibitors reverses Left ventricular hypertrophy by 8% to 14%, wherea s marked improvement in coronary reserve and diastolic dysfunction is achieved by calcium blocker and preferably by ACE inhibitors. Am J Hyp ertens 1998;11:879-881 (C) 1998 American Journal of Hypertension, Ltd.