Effect of combination antihypertensive therapy on the endothelial function in women with hypertension in perimenopause

The study covered 109 female patients with 1-2 degree hypertension in perimenopause and daily evaluated the results of 24-hour blood pressure monitoring, endothelial function using endothelium-dependent and endothelium-dependent vasodilation of the brachial artery, and endothelin-1 concentration in blood serum before treatment and after 12 weeks of monotherapy with ramipril ACE inhibitor (7 people), losartan angiotensin II receptor blocker (8 people) or combination of ramipril with Lodoz (45 people) and losartan with Lodoz (49 people). In all the observed groups, blood pressure decrease to recommended levels and an improvement of endothelial function were achieved; the latter was manifested in the positive decrease of endothelin-1 concentration in the serum which was high in comparison with reference values already in 1 degree AH, and in the improvement of vasodilator properties in the shoulder artery.