Does Allopurinol Reduce Thickening of the Left Ventricle of the Heart in Patient With Treated Hypertension?
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2017-06-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
The presence of Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) confers high cardiovascular risk in
hypertensive patients. LVH remains highly prevalent even when blood pressure (BP) is
controlled. There is increasing evidence that a major non-haemodynamic contributor to LVH is
oxidative stress. Allopurinol is known to markedly reduce oxidative stress.
This pragmatic randomised double blind placebo controlled trial will examine whether
allopurinol (300 mg bd) regresses LV mass as assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in
66 patients with treated hypertension but who have persisting LVH.
Endothelial and vascular function will also be assessed via flow mediated dilatation (FMD)
and pulse wave analysis respectively (PWA) and plasma biomarkers of oxidative stress will be
measured. The treatment (allopurinol or placebo) will last 12 months.