Changes of serum asymmetric dimethylarginine in essential hypertension and effects of antihypertensive drugs

The relationship among serum asymmetric dimethylarginine, blood pressure and target organs damaging in essential hypertension is investigated and the effects of enalapril and nitrendipin are evaluated. Forty-two newly diagnosed patients were randomly divided into the enalapril group and nitrendipin group for 8 weeks. Serum L-arginine and asymmetric dimethylarginine were measured both before and after the treatment. The results show that serum L-arginine and asymmetric dimethylarginine were higher(P < 0.001) in hypertensions than that in controls; serum asymmetric dimethylarginine was higher in different levels of blood pressure and target organs damaging; enalapril and nitrendipin could reduce the level of blood pressure, the effect was the same; both drugs could decrease serum asymmetric dimethylarginine (P < 0.001) but did not affect L-arginine. Serum L-arginine and asymmetric dimethylarginine were higher in the early stage of essential hypertension. Both enalapril and nitrendipin could ameliorate endothelial function by changing the level of asymmetric dimethylarginine.