Plaque hypertension lipid-lowering italian study (PHYLLIS) : echoreflectivity study on arterial carotid wall changes during long-term antihypertensive and lipid-lowering therapies

Phyllips was a randomized double-blind trial in hypertensive patients with hypercholesterolemia and carotid atherosclerosis comparing two antihypertensive regiments (fosinopril or hydrochlorothiazide) with addition of pravastatin or placebo on carotid atherosclerosis progression (mean maximum intima-media thickness of common carotids and bifurcations). Over 2.6-year follow-up, against a similar antihypertensive effect, a significant progression of carotid atherosclerosis, was observed with hydrochlorothiazide but not with fosinopril; progression could also be avoided by associating pravastatin with hydrochlorothiazide.