Improved tolerability of the dihydropyridine calcium-channel antagonist lercanidipine: the lercanidipine challenge trial

Blood Press Suppl. 2003 May:1:14-21. doi: 10.1080/08038020310000087.

Abstract

The objective of this 8-week open-label study was to compare the tolerability of lercanidipine, a dihydropyridine calcium-channel antagonist (CA), with that of other CAs in the treatment of hypertension. Subjects already taking amlodipine, felodipine, nifedipine gastrointestinal therapeutic system (GITS), or nitrendipine and experiencing CA-specific adverse effects (AEs) were switched to lercanidipine for 4 weeks and then rechallenged with their initial treatment for 4 weeks. Results showed that at comparable levels of BP, lercanidipine was associated with a significantly lower incidence of ankle edema, flushing, rash, headache and dizziness compared with other CAs (p < 0.001). After 4 weeks of lercanidipine, mean systolic blood pressure (SBP)/diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was 142.1/86.7 mmHg. After rechallenge with other CAs for 4 weeks, mean SBP/DBP was 141.1/86.7 mmHg. In this open-label study, lercanidipine compared with other CA seems to provide a significant improvement in tolerability with comparable antihypertensive effect.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Antihypertensive Agents / adverse effects*
  • Antihypertensive Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Blood Pressure / drug effects
  • Calcium Channel Blockers / adverse effects*
  • Calcium Channel Blockers / therapeutic use*
  • Dihydropyridines / adverse effects*
  • Dihydropyridines / therapeutic use*
  • Edema / chemically induced
  • Edema / epidemiology
  • Endpoint Determination
  • Female
  • Flushing / chemically induced
  • Flushing / epidemiology
  • Headache / chemically induced
  • Headache / epidemiology
  • Heart Rate / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Hypertension / drug therapy*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Dropouts

Substances

  • Antihypertensive Agents
  • Calcium Channel Blockers
  • Dihydropyridines
  • lercanidipine