Effects of losartan titrated to losartan/hydrochlorothiazide and amlodipine on blood pressure and peripheral capillary microcirculation in patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension

Abstract

Objective: To measure the effects of losartan and amlodipine on peripheral capillary microcirculation in hypertension. Setting: Medical out-patient clinic, Basel, in a university teaching hospital. Methods: After a 4-week placebo run-in period 20 patients aged 50 ± 8 (range 36-65) years with mild-tomoderate hypertension were randomly allocated to receive active treatment with losartan 50 mg titrated to losartan 50 mg/hydrochlorothiazide (HCT) 12.5 mg, or amlodipine 5 mg titrated to 10 mg for a 12 week period. Titration was performed if diastolic blood pressure (BP) was у90 mm Hg after 6 weeks of treatment. BP measurements as well as video capillary microscopy of the finger nailfold at the end of the placebo period and after 12 weeks of active treatment were compared. Capillary blood cell velocity was measured at rest and immediately, 1 min and 2 min after local finger cooling. Results: After 3 months of treatment with amlodipine

Effects of a short‐term improvement in glycaemic control on skin microvascular dysfunction in Type 1 and Type 2 diabetic patients

“…In the present study, lowering of systolic blood pressure during the inpatient treatment was associated with a reduction in resting CBV in Type 2 diabetic patients. This finding was unlikely as a result of antihypertensive medication used, because β‐blockers, angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors and calcium antagonists did not appear to impair capillary perfusion in previous studies [24–26]. A limitation of the present study was that the heterogeneity of the patient populations with regard to diabetes duration and stages of diabetic complications might have influenced the differences between the microvascular data obtained in Type 1 and Type 2 diabetic patients.…”

Effect of β-blockers on peripheral skin microcirculation in hypertension and peripheral vascular disease

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Fingernail Clubbing and Chromonychia Associated with the Use of Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers

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