Objective: to evaluate the relation between pulse wave velocity (PWV), an independent marker of cardiovascular risk and other parameters with prognostic significance: intima media thickness (IMT), left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and flow mediated vasodilatation (FMD) in patients with essential arterial hypertension.

Material and Methods: 142 hypertensive patients (aged 50–75 years, 65% females, without diabetes) were studied before and after 6, 12 months of treatment with ACEI/channel blockers + Indapamide. PWV was assessed using Complior method, IMT and FMD using carotidian/brachial ultrasound respectively. LVH was defined by index of mass (LVMI) and geometric patterns.

Results: 1. PWV is strongly related with LVMI and concentric hypertrophy irrespective the gender, moment of evaluation or regimen of treatment (p<0.05). Correlation with eccentric hypertrophy is evident at baseline only for females (t-test). 2. PWV is related with carotidian IMT (r=0.38, p=0.01) at baseline; after 12 months the relation remains only in ACEI subgroup (r=0.42, p=0.03). 3. Corelation with FMD exists only after adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors (ANCOVA).

Conclusion: our results suggest the complexe interrelation between non-invasive parameters of atherosclerosis, which is influenced by cardiovascular risk profile and antihypertensive regimen. The combination of these measurements is of stronger clinical relevance.