Heart and kidney involvement during antihypertensive treatment. Results from the primary preventive trial in Göteborg, Sweden.

The prevalence of signs of heart (Minnesota-coded ECG, chest X-ray) and kidney involvement (proteinuria, abnormal serum creatinine) was studied before and after 5 years' antihypertensive treatment in 686 middle-aged, hypertensive men derived from a screening examination of a random population sample. The prevalences of heart enlargement (X-ray) and abnormally high serum creatinine increased. A pronounced regression of S-T and T wave changes in the ECG was achieved. In a subgroup of 375 patients without digitalis therapy and not having had myocardial infarction, ECG signs of left ventricular hypertrophy decreased.