The effect of nicardipine on ambulatory blood pressure and the pressor response to static and dynamic exercise

摘要

>1 The antihypertensive effect of a new slow channel blocking drug, nicardipine, has been assessed using the `Oxford' system for ambulatory monitoring and physiological testing in 14 patients with essential hypertension.>2 An initial 24 h recording was performed before treatment and was repeated following chronic therapy with nicardipine 40 mg twice daily. During each recording, the patients performed isometric and dynamic exercise according to a standardised protocol.>3 Within-patient comparisons of consecutive mean hourly systolic and diastolic blood pressures showed a reduction throughout the 24 h of nicardipine therapy. The reduction in blood pressure also was maintained at the peak of isometric and dynamic exercise. Side effects were reported by nine patients, four of whom withdrew from the study.