Evaluation of arterial stiffness in morning hypertension under high-dose valsartan compared to valsartan plus low-dose diuretic.

Morning hypertension has been reported to be an important risk factor for cardiovascular events, and arterial stiffness bears a relationship with cardiovascular risk. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether high-dose angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) treatment has a more beneficial effect on arterial stiffness than regular-dose ARB plus low-dose diuretic treatment in patients with morning hypertension. Forty-three patients, in whom the home systolic blood pressure (BP) in the morning was higher than 140 mm Hg and in the evening was lower than 135 mm Hg, despite treatment with 80 mg valsartan, were randomly assigned to receive 160 mg valsartan (V group, n=22) or 80 mg valsartan plus low-dose trichlormethiazide (1 mg) (V+D group, n=21) for 6 months. There were no differences in the patient background characteristics between the two groups. There were no significant differences in BP measured at home between the two groups. The brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) at the time of diagnosis of morning hypertension was similar in the two groups; however, after 6 months of treatment, a greater degree of reduction of the baPWV and a greater degree of reduction of BP in the supine position were observed in the V group compared with the V+D group. Thus, though both high-dose valsartan and valsartan plus diuretic reduced the BP to a similar degree in patients with morning hypertension, high-dose valsartan exerted a greater beneficial effect on arterial stiffness than did valsartan plus diuretic.