Faculty Bibliography

The study was performed to assess the influence of the ACE-inhibitor lisinopril on the regression of left ventricular hypertrophy due to essential arterial hypertension. 22 hypertensive patients (diast. BP > 95 mmHg) with left ventricular posterior wall thickness and interventricular septal thickness exceeding 15 mm (end-systolic) were included in the study. Measurements were performed by nuclear magnetic resonance imaging. Doppler echocardiographic investigations evaluated ejection fraction and systolic left ventricular size (short axis plane). Mean supine systolic blood pressure was reduced from 158.0 mmHg to 138.5 mmHg after 12 weeks of active treatment, mean diastolic blood pressure was reduced from 103.6 mmHg to 91.6 mmHg. Mean maximum reduction of septal wall thickness at this time was 2.71 +/- 1.384 mm, mean maximum reduction of posterior wall thickness was 3.14 +/- 2.42 mm. Ventricular size slightly increased from 32.5 mm to 36.2 mm, ejection fraction was insignificantly reduced from 65.4% to 63.2%. ACE-inhibition with lisinopril caused a significant reduction of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) demonstrated by nuclear magnetic resonance imaging and a significant reduction of systolic and diastolic blood pressure