M.A. Toutouza

E010: Diabetes mellitus and insulin tolerance compromise global left ventricular function in arterial hypertension

the last 2 weeks. Systolic blood pressure (BP) was measured weekly in conscious rats by the indirect tail-cuff method with electrosphygmomanometer and pneumatic pulse transducer. Blood samples were taken at the beginning of the experiment and after 3 and 5 weeks. Samples were assayed for insulin and triglycerides (TG) concentrations. BP fell in Group 2 (trandolapril) from 148.8 6 9.8 mmHg at 3 weeks to 138.3 6 8.7 after 5 weeks; in Group 3 (ET antagonist) from 155.1 6 5.5 to 142.5 6 10.6; and in Group 4 (combination) from 154.6 6 10.9 to 121.2 6 8.9. Insulin rose in Group 2 from 4.2 6 1.8 ng/ml to 9.4 6 4.8; in Group 3 remained steady around 10.6; and fell in Group 4 from 7.4 6 3.6 to 5.3 6 3.8. TG rose in Group 2 from 177.6 6 61.4 mg/dl after 3 weeks to 324.3 6 102.8 after 5 weeks; rose in Group 3 from 173.6 6 61.6 to 210.0 6 97.7; and fell in Group 4 from 187.6 6 55.3 to 134.9 6 53.7. The BP decrease was over-additive compared with the respective individual substances. The TG changed direction on combined treatment and insulin also fell markedly on combined treatment. The trandolapril-ET antagonist combination appears to offer a rational fixeddose antihypertensive therapy which is superior to that of either drug alone.