Lack of effect of short-term lisinopril administration on left ventricular filling dynamics in hypertensive patients with diastolic dysfunction

Arterial hypertension may be associated with altered left ventricular filling dynamics. The specific goal of this study was to evaluate whether short-term administration of the ACE inhibitor lisinopril in hypertensive patients with an altered diastolic pattern induced an improvement of left ventricular dynamics, assessed by the echocardio-Doppler technique, independently of effects on left ventricular mass. In a double-blind cross- over study 39 essential hypertensive patients with a ratio of peak early to peak atrial velocity (E/A)