Key result
Antihypertensive therapy significantly lowers blood pressure but fails to reduce pulse wave velocity.
Why the study?
The prevalence of arterial stiffness in hypertensive patients in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the effects of various antihypertensive therapies on arterial stiffness were not well characterized.
Does six months of antihypertensive therapy improve arterial stiffness parameters (pulse wave velocity and augmentation index) and blood pressure in patients with essential hypertension?
Observational (n=200)
Open-label
Non-randomized
No
Does six months of antihypertensive therapy improve arterial stiffness parameters (pulse wave velocity and augmentation index) and blood pressure in patients with essential hypertension?
Absolute Event Rate: 8.05% vs 8.09%
p-value: p=0.354
Antihypertensive therapy combined with statins over six months successfully reduces blood pressure and improves wave reflection parameters (AIx), though longer follow-up may be required for significant changes in structural arterial stiffness (PWV).
Antihypertensive therapy may require longer duration to affect arterial stiffness; hypothesis-generating for regimen-specific PWV effects beyond BP reduction.
AIM: To investigate the prevalence of arterial stiffness in hypertensive patients in Bosnia and Herzegovina and to assess the effects of various antihypertensive therapies on arterial stiffness. METHODS: This prospective, open-label clinical study enrolled 200 patients who met predefined inclusion criteria from a total of 217 screened between 1 November 2023 and 30 April 2024. Participants were followed for six months. Thirteen distinct antihypertensive treatment combinations were evaluated. RESULTS: In 200 patients, six months of antihypertensive treatment significantly reduced systolic blood pressure from 136.06 ± 15 to 130.69 ± 12 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure from 85.35±9 to 82.69±7 mmHg. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) changed only minimally, from 8.09±1.5 m/s to 8.05±1.2 m/s (p=0.354). Augmentation index (AIx) improved from 25.17% to 23.33%. The greatest reduction in PWV was observed with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors plus statins (-0.19 m/s), while the largest reduction in AIx was seen with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, beta blockers, diuretics, and statins (-15.64%, p<0.001). Baseline systolic blood pressure was the strongest, although weak, predictor of pulse wave velocity reduction (AUC=0.627, p=0.002). CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated a high prevalence of increased arterial stiffness among hypertensive patients, with higher values associated with greater cardiovascular risk. Routine assessment of arterial stiffness, alongside standard blood pressure measurement, may improve cardiovascular risk stratification and support more effective, individualized hypertension management.
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Handanagić et al. (2026) conducted an observational in Essential arterial hypertension (n=200). Antihypertensive therapy vs. Baseline was evaluated on Pulse wave velocity (PWV) (p=0.354). Six months of antihypertensive therapy significantly lowered blood pressure but resulted in only a minimal, non-significant change in overall pulse wave velocity from 8.09 to 8.05 m/s.
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