Acute vascular effects of atorvastatin in hypertensive men: a pilot study

Figures & data

Table I. Baseline characteristics of the study subjects.

Parameter	Mean (SEM)
Age, years	57.1 (1.9)
Systolic blood pressure, mmHg*	139.6 (4.6)
Diastolic blood pressure, mmHg*	87.2 (3.1)
Body–mass index, kg/m²	26.0 (0.7)
Total cholesterol, mmol/L	5.3 (0.3)
Low-density lipoprotein, mmol/L	3.2 (0.2)
High-density lipoprotein, mmol/L	1.5 (0.1)
Triglycerides, mmol/L	1.3 (0.2)
Hemoglobin, g/L	145 (1.6)
Creatinine, μmol/L	109.8 (3.8)
Glucose, mmol/L	5.1 (0.2)

*Office blood pressure measured at inclusion, with ongoing antihypertensive treatment.

Table II. Baseline hemodynamic variables.

Parameter	Before ATV	After ATV	p value
Systolic blood pressure, mmHg*	165.1 (4.0)	169.0 (4.5)	ns
Diastolic blood pressure, mmHg*	84.9 (1.9)	86.5 (2.0)	ns
Mean arterial blood pressure, mmHg*	112.7 (2.2)	115.6 (2.3)	ns
Heart rate, beats/min	59 (2)	61 (2)	ns
FBF, mL/min/ 100 ml tissue**	3.38 (0.27)	4.31 (0.35)	< 0.05

*Blood pressure measured intra-arterially before the experiments.

Abbreviations: ATV = atorvastatin.

**Measured and calculated before the different infusions. Mean and SEM.

Figure 1. Endothelium-dependent vasodilation. FBF during baseline and in response to intra-arterial infusion of ACH, before atorvastatin (■) and after atorvastatin (○) treatment. *p < 0.05 (ANOVA for treatment), **p = ns (2-way ANOVA, treatment × dose). Mean and SEM.

Figure 2. Endothelium-independent vasodilation. FBF during baseline and in response to intra-arterial infusion of nitroprusside, before atorvastatin (■) and after atorvastatin (○) treatment. *p < 0.05 (ANOVA for treatment), **p = ns (2-way ANOVA, treatment × dose). Mean and SEM.

Figure 3. Vasoconstriction. FBF during baseline and in response to intra-arterial infusion of angiotensin II, before atorvastatin (■) and after atorvastatin (○) treatment. *p = 0.005 (2-way ANOVA, treatment × dose). Mean and SEM.

Figure 4. Forearm vascular resistance (arbitrary units) during baseline and in response to intra-arterial infusion of angiotensin II, before atorvastatin (■) and after atorvastatin (○) treatment. *p < 0.05 (T-test at dose 0.5 μg/min), **p = ns (2-way ANOVA, treatment × dose). Mean and SEM.