[Effect between felodipine plus irbesartan and felodipine plus metoprolol regimen on the sexual function in young and middle-aged women with hypertension].

Author(s): Xu D, Yu J, Liu PJ, Guo XY, Hu H, Chang P, Zhao F, Li XL, Chen XH, Shen XP, Zhang Y, Bai F

Affiliation(s): Department of Cardiology, the Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730030, China.

Publication date & source: 2010-08, Zhonghua Xin Xue Guan Bing Za Zhi., 38(8):728-33.

Publication type: English Abstract; Randomized Controlled Trial; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects between felodipine plus irbesartan and felodipine plus metoprolol regimen on blood pressure and the sexual function in young and middle-aged hypertensive women. METHODS: In this prospective, randomized, parallelized, controlled and fixed combined therapy trial, 99 female patients (aged 18 to 60) with grade 1 and grade 2 hypertension (BP >/= 140/90 mm Hg and < 179/109 mm Hg, 1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa) were assigned to felodipine 5 mg q.d + irbesartan 150 mg q.d (F + I group, n = 49) and felodipine 5 mg q.d + metoprolol 47.5 mg q.d (F + M group, n = 50) group. Target blood pressure was < 140/90 mm Hg. The female sexual function index (FSFI) questionnaire, levels of serum estradiol and testosterone were assessed. Female sexual dysfunction was defined as a FSFI score of less than 25.5. Patients were followed up for 24 weeks. RESULTS: The rate of achieving blood pressure goal between 2 groups was similar at the 4th, 8th, 12th and 24th weeks respectively (42.9% vs. 62.0% at 4th week, 89.8% vs. 90.0% at 8th week, 93.9% vs. 94.0% at 12th week, 98.0% vs. 96.0% at 24th week, P > 0.05). Compared to baseline, scores for the items related to "desire" and "arousal" were significantly improved (P < 0.05), the level of the serum estradiol was significantly elevated [(50.3 +/- 37.4) pg/L vs. (54.4 +/- 10.8) pg/L before menopause, (18.4 +/- 2.9) pg/L vs. (20.2 +/- 3.1)pg/L after menopause, P < 0.05] and the level of the serum testosterone was significantly decreased [(722.8 +/- 277.1) ng/L vs. (650.0 +/- 156.0) ng/L before menopause, (841.2 +/- 279.3) ng/L vs. (761.9 +/- 197.8) ng/L after menopause, P < 0.05] in the F + I group, while scores for the items related to "sexual desire" and "lubrication" were statistically reduced (P < 0.01), the concentration of the serum estradiol was significantly reduced [(57.4 +/- 9.7) pg/L vs. (51.1 +/- 12.1) pg/L before menopause, (19.8 +/- 2.3) pg/L vs. (17.8 +/- 3.3) pg/L after menopause, P < 0.01] and the level of the serum testosterone was significantly increased [(775.6 +/- 217.8) ng/L vs. (886.0 +/- 186.4) ng/L before menopause, (812.5 +/- 311.3) ng/L vs. (914.4 +/- 300.2) ng/L after menopause, P < 0.01] in the F + M group. FSFI score was negatively correlated with age and systolic blood pressure levels. CONCLUSION: felodipine plus irbesartan or metoprolol for 24 weeks equally reduced blood pressure and the former regimen is superior to the latter on sexual function improvement in this patient cohort.