Why the study?
Does methyldopa improve left ventricular function during increased afterload in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy?
Does methyldopa improve left ventricular function during increased afterload in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy?
Long-term methyldopa treatment reduces blood pressure and attenuates afterload-induced reductions in left ventricular ejection fraction in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy.
Should not yet change practice in hypertensive LVH; leaves open a role for methyldopa in preserving LVEF during afterload stress.
SummaryA study was carried out in 18 hypertensive patients, 10 with left ventricular hypertrophy, to investigate the effect of long-term treatment with methyldopa (750 mg to 3 g daily for 6 months) on left ventricular function. Patients with coronary artery disease were excluded. Sustained isometric hand grip and cold pressor tests were used to increase afterload, and changes in left ventricular function were monitored with radionuclide angiography. The results showed that, in addition to producing significant reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, the reduction in the left ventricular ejection fraction which occurred during the provocative tests in patients with left ventricular hypertrophy was either controlled or attenuated after methyldopa treatment.
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Lahiri et al. (1982) studied this question.
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