ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of perindopril, amlodipine and telmisartan on improving the artery stiffness in patients with hypertension.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Patients with primary hypertension were randomly assigned to perindopril (4 mg/day), Amlodipine (5 mg/day) and telmisartan (80 mg/day) regimen for 3 months (n = 34 each). Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) was measured by an automatic brachial ankle pulse wave velocity device before the treatment, one-month and three-month after the treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) SBP, DBP and PP were significantly decreased in all three groups (P < 0.001). There were no significant changes in HR in all three groups (P > 0.05). (2) BaPWV was significantly decreased in all three groups. In the perindopril, Amlodipine, telmisartan group, baPWV was (1859 +/- 492) cm/s, (1780 +/- 335) cm/s, (1859 +/- 337) cm/s before the treatment; was (1757 +/- 508) cm/s, (1647 +/- 285) cm/s, (1632 +/- 261) cm/s one-month after the treatment; was (1702 +/- 538) cm/s, (1559 +/- 288) cm/s, (1566 +/- 326) cm/s three-month after the treatment. Compare the baPWV one-month after the treatment to before the treatment P < 0.001; Compare the baPWV three-month after the treatment to before the treatment P < 0.001; Compare the baPWV three-month to one-month after the treatment perindopril group and telmisartan group P < 0.01, amlodipine group P < 0.001. (3) The changes of baPWV in one or three months were significantly more in the telmisartan group than in the perindopril and amlodipine groups (1 months P < 0.01, 3 months P < 0.05). The change of baPWV was significantly greater in three months than in one montin in all three grops (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Arterial stiffness of hypertensive patients was improved post Telmisartan, amlodipine and perindopril therapy in proportion to therapy duration. Telmisartan is superior to amlodipine and perindopril on improving arterial stiffness of hypertensive patients. Continuous anti-hypertensive treatment with telmisartan, amlodipine and perindopril will have a persistent improvement of the artery flexibility.</p>