Abstract: To investigate the effects of Valsartan on endothelial function and its antihypertensive efficacy, the changes of plasma endothelin(ET), nitrogen monoxide(NO) and clinical blood pressure(CBP) were observed before and after Valsartan was taken for four weeks in₈₉ patients with essential hypertension and 36 patients without drug therapy. After the four-week treatment of Valsartan, decreasing values of clinical systolic blood pressure and clinical diastolic blood pressure were (2.22±0.36) kPa〔(16.68±2.69) mmHg〕 and (1.55±0.45) kPa〔(11.67± 3.39) mmHg〕 respectively(P<0.001); ETdecreased and NOincreased (P<0.05 and 0.001 respectively), odds of NO/ET increased significantly(P< 0.001). These data did not have any changes in control group. It is suggested that Valsartan can decrease blood pressure effectively and improve vascular endothelial function simultaneously.

Key words: essential hypertension, valsartan, vascular endothelial function