Artery Research

Volume 5, Issue 4, December 2011, Pages 186 - 187

P9.03 DIFFERENT EFFECT OF ALISKIREN AND RAMIPRIL ON ARTERIAL STIFFNESS AND WAVE REFLECTION IN PREVIOUSLY UNTREATED ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSION PATIENTS

Authors
L. Ghiadoni, R.M. Bruno, G. Cartoni, A. Magagna, A. Virdis, S. Taddei
University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
Available Online 29 November 2011.
DOI
10.1016/j.artres.2011.10.137How to use a DOI?
Open Access
This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license.

Background: Essential hypertensive patients (EH) are characterized by increased arterial stiffness. The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) activation is an important pathophysiological mechanism for arterial stiffening. Aliskiren is a novel direct renin inhibitor, whose effects on arterial elastic properties in EH are unknown. In this study we evaluated whether aliskiren, as compared to the ACE-inhibitor ramipril, can improve arterial stiffness and peripheral wave reflection in untreated mild-moderate EH, according to a double-blind parallel-group study.

Methods: 40 EH were randomized to a 12-week treatment with aliskiren (300 mg/daily) or ramipril (10 mg/daily) (n=20 each group). At baseline and after treatment arterial stiffness was assessed as carotid-to-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) by arterial tonometry (Sphygmocor). Central blood pressure and augmentation index (AIx) was also assessed.

Results: Blood pressure values were similarly normalized by aliskiren (from 147±8/95±2 to 131±9/85±4 mmHg) and ramipril (from 149±6/96±6 to 133±8/86±3 mmHg). Central pulse pressure was also similarly decreased (aliskiren from 39.5±7.7 to 35.5±6.9 mmHg, P<0.01; ramipril from 38.4±8.9 to 34.8±5.7 mmHg, P<0.01). Aortic PWV was similarly decreased by aliskiren (from 7.7±1.2 to 7.1±1.3 m/s, P<0.05) and ramipril (from 7.5±1.1 to 6.9±1.1m/s, P<0.05). AIx was reduced after aliskiren (from 18.0±8.1 to 13.6±17.4%, P<0.05) and after ramipril treatment (from 19.1±8.3 to 17.1±8.1%, P<0.05), but aliskiren induced a significantly greater reduction (p<0.05).

Conclusions: These results indicate that RAS blockade by aliskiren and ramipril can improve aortic stiffness in EH. The direct renin inhibitor seems to have an additional positive effect on wave reflection, possibly linked to a effect on the peripheral microcirculation.

Journal
Artery Research
Volume-Issue
5 - 4
Pages
186 - 187
Publication Date
2011/11/29
ISSN (Online)
1876-4401
ISSN (Print)
1872-9312
DOI
10.1016/j.artres.2011.10.137How to use a DOI?
Open Access
This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license.

Cite this article

TY  - JOUR
AU  - L. Ghiadoni
AU  - R.M. Bruno
AU  - G. Cartoni
AU  - A. Magagna
AU  - A. Virdis
AU  - S. Taddei
PY  - 2011
DA  - 2011/11/29
TI  - P9.03 DIFFERENT EFFECT OF ALISKIREN AND RAMIPRIL ON ARTERIAL STIFFNESS AND WAVE REFLECTION IN PREVIOUSLY UNTREATED ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSION PATIENTS
JO  - Artery Research
SP  - 186
EP  - 187
VL  - 5
IS  - 4
SN  - 1876-4401
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.artres.2011.10.137
DO  - 10.1016/j.artres.2011.10.137
ID  - Ghiadoni2011
ER  -