[New guidelines of the Joint National Committee (USA) on Prevention, Diagnosis and Management of Hypertension. From JNC VI to JNC VII]. / Novye rekomendatsii Ob"edinennogo natsional'nogo komiteta po preduprezhdeniiu, diagnostike i lecheniiu arterial'noi gipertonii (SShA): ot JNC VI k JNC VII.

Need for update of guidelines of the Joint National Committee (USA) on Prevention, Diagnosis and Management of Hypertension was based on necessity to adopt changes based on results of recent studies as well as creation of more simple and convenient variant for practical physicians. Compared with JNC VI most important changes concerned classification of blood pressure (BP) levels and approaches to drug therapy. New category "prehypertension" was introduced and 2 stages of hypertension distinguished: stage I - systolic BP 140-159 mm Hg or diastolic 90-99 mm Hg, stage II - systolic BP 160 mm Hg or higher, diastolic BP 100 mm Hg or higher. Diuretics were recommended as drugs of first choice and wider use of drug combinations encouraged. Some statements of JNC VII report have been criticized by some hypertension authorities.

[Control of arterial hypertension in stroke prevention]. / Kontrol' arterial'noi gipertonii v profilaktike insul'tov.

According to epidemiological surveys arterial hypertension increases the risk of death of coronary heart disease 3-hold, of hemorrhagic and ischemic strokes--6-fold. Treatment of arterial hypertension leads to a significant fall in the risk of strokes and ischemic heart disease. The PROGRESS trial demonstrates that antihypertensive therapy of patients with the history of acute cerebral circulation disorder with ACE inhibitor perindopril is effective in secondary prophylaxis in such patients.

[Hormone replacement therapy in women with arterial hypertension in peri- and postmenopause: hemodynamic effects]. / Zamestitel'naia gormonoterapiia u zhenshchin s arterial'noi gipertoniei v peri- i postmenopauze: gemodinamicheskie éffekty.

AIM: To study hemodynamic effects of replacement hormone therapy (RHT) with trisecvens, beta-blocker betaksolol and their combination in perimenopausal and menopausal women with hypertension. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was made of 60 menopausal women aged 45-60 with mild and moderate arterial hypertension (AH). The women had no contraindications to either RHT or beta-blockers. They were randomized into three groups: group 1 received trisekvens, group 2--trisekvens plus betaksolol in a dose 10-20 mg/day, group 3--betaksolol. Arterial pressure (AP) and heart rate (HR) were measured before the treatment, in one month and each three months for a year. ECG and echo-CG were registered before treatment and each 3 months of the therapy. AP monitoring covered 50% of the patients of each group before the treatment and after 1 and 3 months of it. The data were analysed according to SAS system. RESULTS: Group 1 patients showed no significant changes in AP and HR. Group 2 and 3 patients' AP lowered, in group 2 the fall of systolic AP being more pronounced. 12-month therapy brought about a 10.3% decrease in left ventricular myocardial mass index in group 2. CONCLUSION: RHT with trisekvens in combination with beta-blocker in long-term use potentiates the effect on systolic AP and reduced hypertrophy of the left ventricle. RHT does not produce a significant effect on AP in women with AH recorded before the menopause.

[Betaxolol treatment of hypertension in postmenopausal women]. / Primenenie betaksolola u zhenshchin s arterial'noi gipertoniei v postmenopauze.

AIM: The study of hypotensive efficacy of high-cardioselective beta-blocker betaxolol, its effects on lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, menopausal syndrome in females with mild and moderate arterial hypertension. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 20 postmenopausal 45-59-year-old women entered the trial of betaxolol. They had diastolic blood pressure 90-114 mm Hg. Beta-blockers were not contraindicated. Arterial pressure, heart rate, body mass, blood lipid spectrum, glucose and insulin levels were evaluated before the treatment, 1, 3 and 6 months after it. RESULTS: Betaxolol safely and effectively lowered blood pressure. Blood lipid spectrum remained unchanged. A transitory rise in fasting insulin levels did not worsen glucose tolerance despite a small gain in body mass. Menopausal syndrome relieved due to good effect of betaxolol on vasomotor disorders. CONCLUSION: Betaxolol has a good hypotensive effect in the absence of adverse effects on lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. A reduction of menopausal syndrome was also achieved.