Circadian variability of rate-pressure product in essential hypertension with enalapril therapy

Rate-pressure product (systolic blood pressure x heart rate/100, RPP) is a major determinant of cardiac oxygen consumption. The aim of the study was to analyze the circadian RPP in essential hypertension with enalapril therapy. We examined 11 normotensives (C), 10 patients with essential hypertension (EH), 10 patients with essential hypertension after one-year enalapril therapy (12.5 mg in one morning dose, EH E) and 10 patients with renal hypertension (25 mg enalapril in one morning dose, N). Accutracker II was used for 24-h ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring. From our results we can conclude that RPP showed large circadian variability in C, EH, EH E and N. The enalapril therapy did not normalize increased RPP in EH E at night.