Hypertension is the major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The increased left ventricular mass has been recognized as an independent predictor of morbidity and mortality in hypertensive patients. The assessment of the regression of left ventricular(LV) mass after antihypertensive therapy offers prognostic information. 2D echocardiography has proved a sensitive tool for the detection of the change of LV mass.

LV mass and LV mass index were measured by area-length method of 2D echocardiography in 26 hypertensive patients and 10 normal control to evaluate the effect of betablocker(group I, n=16) and angiotensin converting enzyme(ACE) inhibitor(group II, n=10) on the regression of LV mass.

There was a significant increase of LV mass and LV mass index in the hypertensive patients(199.0±37.7gm, 119.2±21.2gm/m²) compaired to the control(129.7±11.7gm, 87.4±8.8gm/m²)(p<0.01, p<0.01). After 13.1 week treatment, LV mass was significantly decreased in group I(200.9±35.3gm vs 164.7±25.4gm)(p<0.01) and group II(195.9±43.3gm vs 152.4±27.1gm)(p<0.01). The LV mass index was also significantly decreased in group I(120.3±20.7gm/m² vs 98.8±15.5gm/m²)(p<0.01) and group II(117.5±22.9gm/m² vs 91.5±13.6gm/m²)(p<0.01).

This results showed that LV mass can be reduced in hypertensive patients who receive beta blocker and ACE inhibitor. The effect of antihypertensive therapy on LV mass should be considered in treatment of the hypertensive patients who had hypertrophied LV.