Aim Aim To study the relationship between arginine vasopressin(AVP),brain natdurefic peptide(BNP)and left ventricular hypertrophy(LVH)in patients with essential hypertension(EH).Methods There were 71 cases of essential hypertension,36 of whom were complicated with left ventricular hypertrophy(LVH)and 35 of whom were complicated with non left ventricular hypertrophy(NLVH).There were 28 cases in normal control group.Echocardiography examination was performed to determine left ventricular mass index(LVMI)and the ratio of early diastolic E and late diastolic A(E/A).The plasma AVP and BNP levels were measured by radioimmunoassay(RIA).The linear correlation analysis was made among AVP,BNP,LVMI and the ratio of E/A.Results ①The plasma AVP and BNP levels were higher in EH patients with NLVH and LVH than in normal Subjects(p<0.01),the plasma AVP and BNP levels were higher in patients with LVH than those in NLVH(p<0.01).The LVMI were higher in EH patients with NLVH and LVH than in normal subjects(p<0.01),the LVMI were higher in patients with LVH than those in NLVH.The the ratio of were lower in EH patients with NLVH and LVH than in normal subjects(p<0.01).②The plasma BNP level was positively corelated with LVMI(r=0.552,p<0.01)and negatively corelated with the ratio of E/A(r=-0.803,p<0.01).The plasma AVP level was positively corelated with The plasma BNP level(r =0.437,p<0.01)and negatively corelated with the ratio of E/A(r=-0.506,p<0.01).Conclusions ①The increase of plasma AVP level may play some role in the pathogenesis of LVH in EH patients,and result to decrease of the 1eft ventricular diastolic function(LVDF).②The level of plasma BNP maybe taken as a important marker for the judgement of LVH and LVDF.