APPROACH TO THE SUCCESSFUL SELECTION OF ANTIHYPERTENSIVE AGENTS FOR THE PATIENT WITH ATHEROSCLEROSIS

Resumo

Coronary heart disease (CHD) has become a medical and public health issue associated with multiple risk factors such as age, diet and sedentary life style. Associations between hypertension and atherosclerosis have been extensively studied and several trials have demonstrated antiatherosclerotic properties in some of the most widely used antihypertensive agents. Hence, calcium channel blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers have been the target for a number of controlled randomized trials studying its effect on atherosclerosis progression. Carotid intima media thickness measurement by ultrasound is used as surrogate of atherosclerosis in most of this controlled trials. This review of the literature aims to summarize the most significant controlled trials involving antihypertensive therapy and atherosclerosis regression based on the carotid intima-media thickness measurement.