Do losartan and atenolol have differential effects on BNP and central haemodynamic parameters?
INTRODUCTION: It has been suggested that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-Is) and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) have a differential effect on brachial and aortic haemodynamics. This is why they seem to have beneficial effects that are beyond brachial blood pressure (BP) lowering. We aimed to investigate if this was the case with losartan when compared to atenolol. We also investigated the differential effect of losartan and atenolol on the prognostic marker, brain type natriuretic peptide (BNP). METHODS: We studied 17 patients who were similar to those in the Losartan Intervention For Endpoint reduction in hypertension (LIFE) study. Patients were randomised to receive four months of losartan and atenolol in a crossover fashion. Main outcome measures were BNP and Augmentation index (AIx), which gives an indication of central haemodynamics. Brachial pulse wave velocity (PWV) and time to reflected wave (Tr) were measured as an indication of vascular stiffness. RESUL
