The aim of the study was to compare the effects of long-term treatment with different types of antihypertensive drugs on left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and diastolic function in patients with essential hypertension. We examined 60 patients with mild to moderate hypertension from 35 to 55 years old (middle age 44.3±2.3 yrs) having no concomitant diseases. Patients were treated for six months with different types of antihypertensive drugs: 21 patient received nifedipine-retard 40 mg/day, 20 Ð atenolol 100 mg/day, 10 - losartan potassium 100 mg/day, 9 - perindopril 4 mg/day. Cardiac structure and function was studied by echocardiography. For the left ventricle (LV) the diastolic mass normalised for body surface area (LVMI), the ratio of the early and atrial mitral inflow velocities (E/A), isovolumetric relaxation time (IVRT), relative wall thickness (RWT) were measured. After six months of treatment LVMI decreased by 9% in nifedipine group (P<0.01), by 10.5% in atenolol group (P<0.01), by 12% in losartan group (P<0.01) and by 8.2% in perindopril group (NS). RWT decreased in all groups, while diastolic dimension index remained unchanged. The reversal of LVH was not related to blood pressure reduction. It was more significant in patients with initially higher values of LVMI. Antihypertensive effects of the drugs were comparable. Long-term treatment with all types of selected drugs improves cardiac structure and function independently of their antihypertensive action. Our data suggest that on the basis of the influence on cardiac remodelling no preference for any studied drug can be discerned. The work had the following source of support: the atenolol (Falitonsin) and nifedipine-retard (Corinfar-retard) were provided by the AWD Company (Germany), losartan potassium has been provided by Merck Sharp & Dohme Company and perindopril (Prestarium) by the Servier Group.
key words: essential hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy, antihypertensive treatment

Keywords: antihypertensive treatment, left ventricular hypertrophy, essential hypertension