Diltiazem-induced left ventricular mass regression in hypertensive patients.

The antihypertensive efficacy of timed-release diltiazem was compared with propranolol in a randomized, double-blind study of 40 patients with mild to moderate hypertension. Patients (diltiazem = 17; propranolol = 9) had echocardiograms at baseline and after 6 months of therapy to determine left ventricular mass, end-systolic stress, total peripheral resistance, and cross-sectional area index. Diltiazem lowered the blood pressure (152/98 to 134/83), as propranolol did (155/98 to 150/85). Diltiazem caused a significant reduction in left ventricular mass (215.1 +/- 56.3 to 175.7 +/- 54.7 g; p less than 0.0007) and in cross-sectional area index (5.7 +/- 1.0 to 4.8 +/- 1.1 cm2; p less than 0.002). Propranolol caused no change in mass (227.5 +/- 45.6 to 227.4 +/- 54.0) and no change in cross-sectional area index (5.3 +/- 0.8 to 5.5 +/- 1.2). Comparisons between diltiazem and propranolol showed a significantly greater decrease in mass with diltiazem (p less than 0.03) and cross-sectional index (p less than 0.015). Diltiazem proved to be safe and equally efficacious in blood pressure control and significantly better in reducing indices of mass hypertrophy than propranolol.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes