[Changes in left ventricular function and structure in hypertensive patients treated with methyldopa and urapidil].

In a randomized cross-over and double-blind trial twenty mild-to-moderate hypertensives (11 males, 9 females, mean age 48.4 +/- 7.6 years) were receiving methyldopa (250 mg b.i.d.) or urapidil (30 mg b.i.d.) for 7 weeks and then treated with alternative drug for additional 7 weeks, separated by one week of wash-out period. Both antihypertensives induced significant reduction (P less than 0.01) in systolic and diastolic arterial pressure, while no significant changes (P greater than 0.20) in the body weight and the heart rate were observed. The echocardiographic features of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) did not decrease significantly (P greater than 0.05) on either drug, except for the left ventricular posterior wall thickness (LVPWd), which decreased on methyldopa from 10.4 +/- 1.3 to 9.8 +/- 1.4 mm (P less than 0.05). The drugs under study did not change significantly the echocardiographic indices of left ventricular function. Echocardiography resulted to be more sensitive in detecting LVH than electrocardiography. It is concluded that methyldopa might successfully reduce LVH, while direct and indirect vasodilators (such as urapidil) are less effective.