Left Ventricular Mass and Function Before and After Antihypertensive Treatment

We have studied the effect of blood pressure control upon left ventricular mass and function. Twenty hypertensive patients without clinical or electrocardiographic signs of cardiac involvement were given sequentially: placebo for two weeks; captopril (250 mg/day) for eight weeks; and captopril (125 mg/day), alone or combined with chlorthalidone (25 mg/day), for eight weeks M-mode echocardiography was performed at the end of placebo period, after eight and after 16 weeks active treatment. Blood pressure was significantly reduced (P Baseline systolic blood pressure was inversely correlated with the ratio of the left ventricular radius to posterior wall thickness (r=− 0.97, P We conclude that in uncomplicated hypertensive patients captopril, either alone or combined with chlorthalidone, can reverse left ventricular hypertrophy by decreasing both septal and posterior wall thickness. Therefore, since left ventricular performance remains normal and circumferential wall stress falls, the cardiovascular system seems to have been reset to a more physiological level