The influence of hypotensive drugs on the taste sensitivity in patients with primary hypertension.

Numerous hypotensive drugs result in decreasing the taste sensitivity or total loss of taste perception. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of selected groups of hypotensive drugs used in combined treatment of the taste sensitivity in patients suffering from primary arterial hypertension. The study was conducted in a group of 84 patients aged 30-60, including 43 women and 41 men. The patients were divided into four groups depending on the applied combined treatment including the following treatment regimes: diuretic + beta-blocker, diuretic + beta-blocker + ACE-I, ACE-I + diuretic, ACE-I + diuretic + calcium channel blocker. The study involved also control group of 20 healthy people (without medications) aged 30-60, including 10 women and 10 men. Taste sensitivity was evaluated by two methods: chemosensory and electrogustometric. Chemosensory method was used to asses the sensitivity to salt and sweet tastes with the use of increasing concentrations of saccharose water solutions (0.012-0.041 mmol/L) and water solutions of sodium chloride (0.008-0.068 mmol/L). Electrogustometric thresholds of taste sensitivity were established with electrogustometer. The minimal intensity of the current, which stimulates nerve endings of the taste stimuli-transmitting nerves was determined in two areas of the tongue: at the apex and at the sides. By two different methods of evaluation it was shown that the analyzed groups of hypotensive drugs affect the taste sensitivity of the patients. It was observed that healthy people had higher taste sensitivity than patients. Introducing ACE-I into combined therapy significantly reduced the electrogustometric sensitivity in patients.