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Safety, efficacy and pharmacokinetics of nicardipine in elderly hypertensive patients
Author(s) -
BROWN STEPHEN T.,
FREEDMAN DONNA,
DeVAULT GEORGE A.,
SLAY LARRY
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
british journal of clinical pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.216
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1365-2125
pISSN - 0306-5251
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1986.tb00334.x
Subject(s) - nicardipine , medicine , blood pressure , orthostatic vital signs , placebo , anesthesia , pharmacokinetics , diastole , adverse effect , vasodilation , alternative medicine , pathology
1 Eighty‐eight elderly patients (aged 63–84 years) with essential hypertension were randomised to receive either nicardipine (57 patients) or placebo (31 patients) for 6–8 weeks in this double‐blind, parallel group study. 2 The dosage of nicardipine was titrated according to blood pressure response. Doses ranged from 10 mg to 30 mg three times daily; the majority of patients received the 20 mg regimen. 3 At the last study visit, the mean reduction in systolic/diastolic blood pressure in the nicardipine group was 16.6/11.1 mmHg as compared to 5.1/4.7 mmHg for the placebo group. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant for both systolic and diastolic pressures ( P < 0.001). 4 Orthostatic blood pressure changes did not occur any more frequently in the nicardipine‐treated group. Pulse rate and body weight changes on nicardipine were negligible. 5 Nicardipine plasma concentrations showed no accumulation over time in the elderly patients, and were similar to those reported previously in younger volunteers. 6 Adverse effects were reported in 53% of patients on nicardipine and 45% on placebo. Those side effects occurring more often on nicardipine were primarily related to its vasodilatory properties. 7 Nicardipine is an effective, well tolerated antihypertensive agent in geriatric patients.