Effect of lisinopril and metoprolol on arterial distensibility

Abstract Apart from lowering blood pressure, antihyper-tensive drugs may influence vessel wall function. In a random-ized double-blind study, the effect of lisinopril and metoprolol on arterial distensibility was studied in 40 patients with essential hypertension. After a placebo run-in period, the patients were randomly treated with metoprolol (50, 100, or 200 mg) or lisinopril (5, 10, or 20 mg) for 10 weeks. In the lisinopril group, blood pressure decreased after 10 weeks of therapy from 173±10/102±5 to 155±10/85±3 mm Hg and in the metoprolol group from 167±12/102±4 to 153±8/84±3 mm Hg. Diameter (millimeters), relative change in diameter (percent), and distensibility (10~3/kPa) of the left common carotid artery were determined after the placebo run-in period and after 6 and 10 weeks of antihypertensive therapy. A multigate Doppler system was used to measure the vessel wal