Aim To investigate the effects of various antihypertensive drugs on pulse wave velocity(PWV) and study the correlation of effects with high sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP) and von Willebrand factor(vWF) in patients with isolated systolic hypertension. Methods 147 patients with isolated systolic hypertension were enrolled in this study and these patients' blood pressure fulfiled the criteria of systolic blood pressure(SBP) ≥140 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure(DBP) < 90 mmHg.These patients were devided radomly into nifedipine GITS group,benazeprilat group and valsartan group and were prescribed nifedipine GITS 30 mg/d,benazeprilat 10 mg/d and valsartan 150 mg/d respectively.Blood pressure,brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity(Ba-PWV),the levels of hs-CRP and vWF were measured at baseline and 2 weeks after treatment. Results Compared with nifedipine GITS group and benazeprilat group,Ba-PWV significantly decreased in valsartan group after 2 weeks(P<0.01),the level of Ba-PWV in nifedipine GITS group,benazeprilat group and valsartan group were-413.3±107.3 cm/s,-563.3±100.3 cm/s and-717.3±147.3 cm/s respectively.Compared with the other two groups,the levels of hs-CRP and vWF significantly decreased in valsar tan group(P<0.05),and the SBP,DBP and PP significantly decreased in nifedipine GITS group compared with the other two groups(P<0.05).Correlative study indicates the change of Ba-PWV in valsartan group was positively correlated with the change of hs-CRP and vWF(r=0.96,p=0.02;r=0.67,p=0.01),but not with the change of SBP,DBP and PP(P>0.05).And the change of Ba-PWV in the nifedipine GITS group was positively correlated with the change of SBP,DBP and PP(r=0.45,p=0.03;r=-0.27,p=0.02;r=0.75,p=0.00),but not with the change of hs-CRP and vWF(P>0.05).Conclusions Nifedipine GITS,benazeprilat and valsartan all can decrease Ba-PWV.However decreasing Ba-PWV and stiffness of vessel in alsartan group mainly originates from suppressesing inflammation and improving endothelial function,but the decrease of Ba-PWV in nifedipine GITS group mainly originates from the decrease of stretching pressure exerted by the blood against the vessel walls combined with expanding of artery.