Abstract: For investigating and comparing the effects of fosinopril, losartan and nifedipine GITS on protective functions for endothelium in patients with essential hypertension(EH), patients with mild to moderate EH and healthy controls were studied. Patients with EH were randomly divided into three groups and were treated with Nifedipine GITS, Fosinopril or Losartan separately. The plasma levels of ET, NO, GMP140, vWF were compared before and after 4-week treatment. Plasma levels of ET, NO, vWF, GMP140 were measured with radioimmunoassay, enzymatic assay or ELISA as indexes of endothelial functions. The results showed that the antihypertensive effects of three medicines had no statistical differences. Plasma levels of ET, GMP140, vWF were significantly higher and the NO/ET was lower in EH patients than those in controls. Plasma levels of ET and vWF were decreased and the levels of NO and NO/ET were increased deeply at the end of 4-week treatment(P<0.05, P< 0.01). Plasma level of GMP140 in group N was declined significantly(P<0.05). It is suggested that all three antihypertensive drugs can significantly and safely decrease blood pressure, and protect vessel endothelial function in early stage of hypertension. Nifedipine GITS is better than others in GMP140, Losartan is better than others in drug tolerance.

Key words: antihypertensive drugs, essential hypertension, endothelial function