Regression of increased left ventricular masses in elderly hypertensive patients on lisinopril as assessed by magnetic resonance imaging.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

We investigated, using magnetic resonance imaging, whether the addition of lisinopril could reduce increased left ventricular (LV) masses in hypertensive patients whose blood pressure was well controlled with nifedipine.

METHODS

Fourteen hypertensive patients being treated with nifedipine and having an interventricular septum thickness of more than 12 mm were studied. Half of them were given 5 mg lisinopril, and the others were not. Short-axis images of the left ventricle from the base to the apex were obtained by a standard spin-echo pulse sequence. The entire LV mass was calculated from the area of short-axis slices of the left ventricle multiplied by slice thickness.

RESULTS

Blood pressure fell slightly and almost equally in both groups. The LV mass and LV mass index showed a significant decrease in the lisinopril-treated group but not in the control group.

CONCLUSION

Results demonstrate the effectiveness of lisinopril in reducing increased LV masses, at least in combination with nifedipine.