Treatment with amlodipine andatorvastatin have additive effect in improvement of arterial compliance in hypertensive hyperlipidemic patients

Abstract Background This study investigates the effect of amlodipine on arterial compliance (AC), and the effect of atorvastatin on AC when given in combination with amlodipine. Methods Twenty-one consecutive hypertensive hyperlipidemic patients were included in this study. Patients were followed every month for 6 months (3 months of amlodipine therapy and 3 months of amlodipine and atorvastatin combination). Results During the 3 months of amlodipine monotherapy, large and small AC were improved by 26% and 38%, respectively, and the systemic vascular resistance was reduced by 10%. The addition of atorvastatin during the next 3 months improved small AC by an additional 42% and decreased the systemic vascular resistance by another 5%, but large AC and blood pressure did not change. Conclusions Amlodipine improves large and small AC, and the beneficial effect of atorvastatin on small AC is additive to the effect achieved by amlodipine.