Effects of Carvedilol or Amlodipine on Target Organ Damage in L-Name Hypertensive Rats: Their Relationship with Blood Pressure Variability

PRINCE PD; MORETTÓN MA; CARRANZA A; BERG G; TAIRA CA; DEL MAURO JUAN S; FERNANDEZ MACHULSKY N; BERTERA FM; CHIAPPETTA DA; GELPI RJ; DONATO M; GONZÁLEZ GE; GORZALCZANY SB; MORALES C; HÖCHT C

Journal of the American Society of Hypertension

ELSEVIER SCI LTD

Año: 2017

1933-1711

AbstractObjectives: To compare the effects of chronic oral treatment with carvedilol oramlodipine on blood pressure and blood pressure variability and target organ damage in N-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) hypertensive rats.Methods: Wistar rats were treated with L-NAME administered in the drinking water for 8 weeks together with oral administration of carvedilol 30 mg/kg (n=6), amlodipine 10 mg/kg (n=6) or vehicle (n=6). At the end of the treatment, echocardiographic evaluation, blood pressure and short-term variability measurements were performed. Left ventricular and thoracic aortas were removed to assess activity of metalloproteinase 2 and 9 and expression levels of transforming growth factor β, tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin-6. Histological samples were prepared from both tissues. Results: Carvedilol and amlodipine induced a comparable reduction of systolic and mean arterial pressure and its short-term variability in L-NAME rats. The expression oftransforming growth factor β, tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin-6 decreased in both organs after carvedilol or amlodipine treatment and the activity of metalloproteinase was reduced in aortic tissue. Treatment with carvedilol or amlodipine completely prevented left ventricular collagen deposition and morphometric alterations in aorta.Conclusion: Oral chronic treatment with carvedilol or amlodipine significantlyattenuates blood pressure variability and reduces target organ damage and biomarkers of tissue fibrosis and inflammation in L-NAME hypertensive rats.Keywords:β-blocker, blood pressure, calcium channel blocker, left ventricle, thoracic aorta.