Objectives: Nebivolol and Telmisartan has been claimed to ensure effective control of the blood pressure and target organ. The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of nebivolol and telmisartan on glucose-lipid metabolism, as well as diastolic dysfunction and left ventricle hypertrophy, which are held responsible for target organ damage.

Materials and Methods: The study enrolled 100 patients whose mean age was 50.1 ± 9.9 and who had essential hypertension (50 patients were administered 5 mg/day Nebivolol and 50 patients were administered 80 mg/day Telmisartan for six months).

Results: Mean blood pressure fell from 108.1±9.6 mmHg to 88.8±6.8 mmHg in the nebivolol group (p=0.001) and from 108.8±2.2 mmHg to 95.3±3.5 mmHg in the telmisartan group (p=0.001). Insulin resistance changed from 3.27±2.15 to 3.72±2.02 in the nebivolol group (p=0.13) and from 2.56±1.3 to 2.72±1.52 in the telmisartan group (p>0.05). Echocardiography showed a decrease in the left ventricle mass indices (p<0.05) and a significant improvement in left ventricle diastolic functions (p<0.05) in both groups.

Conclusion: Nebivolol and Telmisartan improve left ventricle hypertrophy and diastolic functions, but do not affect the glucose metabolism. Both drugs have positive effects on lipid metabolism. It was seen that the effect of nebivolol on blood pressure, diastolic functions and left ventricle mass were better than those of telmisartan. Our study supports the fact that priority should be given to the property of effectively reducing blood pressure, rather than pharmacokinetic properties of the drug of choice in the treatment of essential hypertension.©2006, Fırat Üniversitesi, Tıp Fakültesi