Evidence for oxidative stress in essential hypertension: Perspective for antioxidant therapy

Abstract

Background Despite therapy, arterial hypertension continues to be a risk factor of coronary artery disease (GAD). The role of oxidative stress, an important source of vascular injury, in the genesis of this increased risk also needs to be defined, because several antihypertensive drugs have demonstrated antioxidant effects. This study tested the existence of oxidative stress in young (<40 years) untreated patients with uncomplicated essential hypertension (EH). Methods Lipid peroxidation (LP) products (diene conjugates, basal and Fe-stimulated levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) were detected spectrophotometrically in serum together with markers of antioxidant status (serum antioxidative capacity (AOC), red blood cell (RBC) glutathione) in 32 patients with mild-to-moderate EH and in 26 matched normotensive controls. Results All LP products were elevated (P < 0.01), while serum AOC was decreased (P < 0.001) and RBC glutathione increased (P < 0.05) in EH patients compared with controls. The presence of hypercholesterolaemia was not found to influence the differences in the measured parameters between hypertensive patients and controls significantly. Conclusions The results indicate that oxidative stress occurs in young patients with uncomplicated EH. Therefore antihypertensive treatment, especially in patients whose vascular disease is still reversible, should provide antioxidant protection. © 1996, European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved.