Open AccessEfficacy and Safety Comparison of Nitrendipine and Hydralazine as Antihypertensive Monotherapy
Author(s) -
Timothy C. Fagan,
Cheryl Sternleib,
Nicolas D. Vlachakis,
Prakash Deedwania,
Jawahar L. Mehta
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
journal of cardiovascular pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.762
H-Index - 100
eISSN - 1533-4023
pISSN - 0160-2446
DOI - 10.1097/00005344-198400067-00035
Subject(s) - nitrendipine , hydralazine , medicine , blood pressure , supine position , propranolol , anesthesia , essential hypertension
One-hundred and five patients with hypertension received nitrendipine (10-40 mg/day) or hydralazine (50-200 mg/day) in a double-blind randomized design. Nitrendipine decreased supine blood pressure 15/10 mm Hg, and hydralazine decreased it 11/11 mm Hg. Standing blood pressure was decreased 15/12 mm Hg by nitrendipine and 12/11 mm Hg by hydralazine. Supine and standing heart rate rose significantly after both drugs. Blood pressure variation through one dosing interval increased 42% when hydralazine was given but was not altered by nitrendipine. Side-effects from the two drugs were similar in patients who completed the study, but six patients discontinued participation due to side-effects of hydralazine, while only one discontinued due to nitrendipine side-effects. Ten patients required propranolol for hydralazine side-effects, and only three required it for nitrendipine side-effects. Nitrendipine and hydralazine are equally effective as antihypertensive monotherapy in patients with mild to moderate hypertension for periods up to 7 weeks, but nitrendipine appears to be better tolerated.