Effects of Aliskiren on Blood Pressure and Myocardial Function Assessed by Global Longitudinal Strain in Patients with Arterial Hypertension and Diastolic Dysfunction

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of aliskiren on blood pressure and myocardial function assessed by global longitudinal strain in patients with uncontrolled arterial hypertension. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-five patients were included in the study (29 males, 16 females, mean age 58.7 +/- 12.4 years) with BP > 140/90 mmHg despite treatment with combined antihypertensive therapy and echocardiographic data for diastolic dysfunction: E/E'ratio < or = 8, E/A ratio < 0.8, deceleration time (DT) > 200 msec. Aliskiren (2 x 150 mg per day) was added to the previous therapy. The follow-up period was 1 year, including monthly clinical visits. Echocardiographic assessment of the left ventricular function by longitudinal strain and Doppler analysis of the trans-mitral blood flow was performed at months 1, 6, 12. RESULTS: The baseline systolic and diastolic blood pressures scores were 153.4 +/- 14.4/99.2 +/- 6.7 mmHg and 157.6 +/- 12.5/97.3 +/- 8.2 mmHg for males and females, respectively. The systolic and diastolic values at 1 month were 131.7 +/- 7.4/83.6 +/- 5.2 mmHg for males and 132.4 +/- 5.3/81.8 +/- 6.9 mmHg for females (p < 0.05 vs. baseline). The baseline E/E' was 6.5 +/- 0.9, E/A - 0.6 +/- 001, DT - 258 +/- 32.7 msec. These indicators at month 12 were as follows: E/E' - 7.0 +/- 0.64, E/A - 0.7 +/- 0.05, DT - 239 +/- 16.5 msec, p = NS. Baseline global longitudinal strain in males was -10.4 +/- 0.7% and -11.0 +/- 0.9% in females and at month 12 - 16.3 +/- 0.9% and -17.5 +/- 0.7% for males and females, respectively, p < 0.05. For the period of follow-up no adverse effects due to aliskiren treatment were registered. CONCLUSIONS: Adding aliskiren to combined antihypertensive therapy leads to significant improvement of hypertension control and myocardial function assessed by global longitudinal strain.