Left ventricular hypertrophy is major cardiovascular risk factor for sudden death, acute myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure. Antihypertensive treatment able to normalize blood pressure and regression of left ventricular mass would also favorabley affect coronary flow reserve and cardiovascular mortality.

This study was designed to explore changes of left venrtricular mass, echocardiographic datas such as interventricular septal thickness in diastole, posterior wall thickness in diastole, left ventricular end diastolic dimension, relative wall thickness, mainmorphologic change of LV, and diastolic function after antihypertensive treatment.

From May 1988 to Agust 1997, in 41 patients(14 men, 27 women) with estaiblished essential hypertension aged 35 to 78(mean 56±13) year were studied. We obtained the basal echocardiography and follow up echocardiography after treatment.

The results were as followings: 1) Baseline blood pressure was 157/92mmHg and fell to 137/81mmHg(p<0.001), and LV mass were reduced from 133.9g/mg2 to 132.9g/m2 without statistical significance. 2) Most of the patients(48.8%) were remained increased LV mass and only 12% of the patients were revert to normal LV mass. 3) Most of the patients remained same LV morphology after antihypertensive treatment. 4) Normalization of LV diastolic dysfunction was not observed after antihypertensive treatment.

Most of the patients were remained increased LV mass, same morphology, and relaxation abnormality of LV after antihypertensive treatments. For analysis of our result, follow up studies are needed about regression of LV mass, remodeling of LV, diastolic function after antihypertensive treatment.