Is there influence of hypertension on the endothelial function in patients with ischaemic heart disease?

Abstract

Background Arterial hypertension is one of the most important risk factors of the coronary heart disease (CHD). The aim of the study was to determine the endothelial function in patients with angiographically confirmed atherosclerosis of coronary arteries and diagnosed hypertension and to compare it with individuals with CHD without hypertension.
Material and methods Our studies were carried out in 54 people with angiographically confirmed CHD in II or III class of angina symptoms according to CCS grading scale. The first group consisted of 32 patients in which hypertension was diagnosed (mean age 60.6 ± 10.5). To the second group 22 individuals were included without hypertension (mean age 57.4 ± 10.5). The endothelial function was estimated by determination of serum concentrations of nitric oxide (NO), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (sICAM-1), interleukin 1β (IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL-6) and interleukin 10, and plasma level of endothelin 1 (ET-1).
Results In patients with angiographically confirmed coronary heart disease coexisting with hypertension serum concentrations of IL-6 (p < 0.05), sICAM-1 (p < 0.01) and plasma level of ET-1 (p < 0.01) were statistically significant higher than in patients without hypertension. Serum concentration of NO (p < 0.05) in patients with coronary heart disease and hypertension was significantly lower in comparison to patients without hypertension. Multifactorial analysis of variance revealed the interaction between hypertension incidence and male gender in their effect on endothelin-1 plasma concentration (F = 1.63; p < 0.01).
Conclusions Our studies show that in patients with coronary heart disease coexisting with hypertension endothelial function is more impaired than in patients with coronary heart disease without hypertension.