effects of selective angiotensin ii type 1 receptor blockade with losartan on arterial compliance in patients with mild essential hypertension it has been suggested that antihypertensive drugs should not only decrease blood pressure but also improve large artery compliance the aim of the present study was to examine the effect of losartan a selective angiotensin ii type 1 receptor antagonist on parameters reflecting arterial compliance in a randomized doubleblind crossover study 16 patients with mild essential hypertension were examined after 4 weeks of treatment with placebolosartan the effect on finger plethysmographic arterial pulse curves were quantified by computing the relative height of the dicrotic notch and pulse wave velocity was estimated by measurements of the time delay from the start of the qrscomplex electrocardiogram to the foot of the plethysmographic pulse wave compared with placebo losartan reduced the relative height of the dicrotic notch from 55 sd 12 to 47 14 p 001 and pulse wave velocity from 93 msec to 87 msec p 005 the supine blood pressure decreased from 14689 mmhg to 13482 mmhg p 001 there was no correlation between the effects on blood pressure and the effects on the arterial compliance parameters suggesting that losartan exerted an effect on arterial compliance beyond its effect on blood pressure