[en] To evaluate the aortic wall distensibility (AD) in patients with hypertension, AD was measured using cine magnetic resonance imaging in 37 hypertensive patients (HT) and 40 normal control subjects (NC). In addition, to evaluate the effect of antihypertensive drugs on AD, AD was measured before and after following antihypertensive treatments in 23 HT. Thirteen HT and 10 HT were treated for 12 weeks by 80 mg per day of nicardipine (group N) and 2-4 mg per day of trichlormethiazide (group T), respectively. Cine magnetic resonance imaging was performed at ascending (ASC) and descending (DESC) aortic levels. Aortic area was measured at the maximum and minimum frames. AD was calculated from the following formula: (Max. area - Min. area)/(Min. area x pulse pressure). AD was lower in HT than in NC both at ASC (p<0.01) and DESC (p<0.01). There was negative correlationship between age and AD in both HT and NC. After treatment of N and T, AD in all patients increased significantly. AD in ASC changed from 1.38±0.99 to 5.29±2.78 in HT treated by N, from 1.15±0.70 to 2.48±1.08 in HT treated by T, respectively. AD in DESC changed from 1.56±0.87 to 5.53±2.57 in HT treated by N, from 1.28±0.59 to 2.67±0.75 in HT treated by T, respectively. There were no significant differences in ADs of both ASC and DESC before treatment between HT treated by N and T. However, there were significant differences in ADs of both ASC and DESC after treatment between HT treated by N and T. There were no significant differences in systolic, diastolic and pulse pressures both before and after treatment between group N and group T. In conclusion, it is suspected that hypertension is the strong factor which promotes the aortic sclerosis. In addition, antihypertensive drugs have a beneficial effect on aortic distensibility, and its effect of nicardipine is stronger than that of trichlormethiazide. (author) 57 refs