OR 31: Central versus peripheral sympathetic inhibition on arterial blood pressure and heart rate variability in essential hypertension

The effect of centrally or peripherally acting antihypertensive agents on cardiac autonomic balance has not been evaluated. Assessment of heart rate variability (HRV) is a useful non-invasive way to evaluate cardiac autonomic balance. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of a central sympathetic inhibitor (moxonidine) against that of a peripheral inhibitor (nebivolol - a b1-blocker), on arterial blood pressure (BP) and HRV in patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension. Twenty-seven patients were randomized to receive either moxonidine 0.4–0.6 mg once daily (7 men and 5 women, mean age 50±6 years) or nebivolol 2.5–5 mg once daily (9 men and 6 women, mean age 53±6 years) for one month, to achieve a target diastolic BP