The Effect of Statin Added to Antihypertensive Therapy on Arterial Stiffness in Hypertensive Patients at High Cardiovascular Risk

Abstract

Background.Little is known about the effect of statins addition to standard antihypertensive therapy on blood pressure level and vascular stiffness in high-risk hypertensive patients.The aimof the study was to assess the dynamics of vascular stiffness in hypertensive patients of high or very high cardiovascular risk under the influence of rosuvastatin addition to combined two-component amlodipine and lisinopril antihypertensive therapy.Materials and methods.We investigated 60 hypertensive patients who were randomized into two groups: the 1st group received a fixed amlodipine/lisinopril combination, the 2nd one followed the same regimen of therapy with addition of 20 mg rosuvastatin. Mean office and ambulatory blood pressure as well as central aortic blood pressure and pulse wave velocity were evaluated in both groups before and after 24-week follow-up period.Results.At end of follow-up period the office and average daily blood pressure significantly decreased in both groups, with more prominent office diastolic blood pressure decline in the 2nd one. The central aortic blood pressure equally decreased in both groups. The augmentation index significantly reduced in both groups, mostly in the 2nd one. The carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity declined in both groups to the same extent. The carotid-radial pulse wave velocity decreased statistically only in the second group.Conclusions.Addition of rosuvastatin to a fixed amlodipine/lisinopril combination in high/very high cardiovascular risk hypertensive patients was accompanied by more pronounced decline of diastolic blood pressure and augmentation index, as well as significantly reduction of pulse wave velocity.