2023 Volume 7 Issue 1 Pages 17-23
Background: At present, there is a paucity of evidence for the efficacy of cardioprotective (CP) drugs in improving the prognosis of patients with congenital heart disease (CHD), who are at high risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease. CP drugs lower blood pressure (BP); therefore, in the present study we analyzed BP parameters in patients with CHD treated with and without CP drugs.
Methods and Results: A total of 60 adult patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class I CHD were divided into two groups - those treated with and those without CP drugs. Brachial and central BPs, radial augmentation indices, and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocities were compared between the groups. CP drugs include renin-angiotensin system blockers, as well as some beta blockers (carvedilol, metoprolol, and bisoprolol). Of the 60 patients included in the present study, 15 (25%) were treated with CP drugs. Although there was no difference in brachial systolic BP (SBP) between patients treated with CP drugs compared to those without (116.7 ± 12.5 vs.124.4 ± 19.7 mmHg, respectively; P = 0.1945), central SBP was significantly lower in patients treated with CP drugs than those without (113.2 ± 16.0 vs. 126.8 ± 21.0 mmHg, respectively; P = 0.0105). The prevalence of high central SBP was lower in the group treated with CP drugs than those without (0/15 vs. 16/45, respectively; P = 0.006), as was the prevalence of high pulse wave velocities (0/15 vs. 13/45, respectively; P = 0.0259).
Conclusions: CP drugs, when used to treat adults with CHD, lower central SBP and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocities, and therefore have the potential to improve the prognosis of patients at high risk for hypertension and cardiovascular disease.
