Purpose: Evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of isradipine, a new dihydropyridine calcium antagonist in the therapy of outpatients hypertensive crisis.
Patients and methods: Twenty seven patients with mean age of 37.2 +/- 2.5 years (ages ranging from 18 to 59 years old) of different races (14 white, 13 not white); 15 men and 12 women, with diastolic blood pressure over 130 mmHg and without signs of recent target organ damage were studied. The patients were divided in three groups according to the used dosage of Isradipine tablets by sublingual route. Group I (n = 10): 1.25 mg; Group II (n = 10): 2.5 mg and Group III (n = 7): 5.0 mg. Arterial blood pressure levels and heart rate were determined before the drug administration and every 30 minutes until 120 minutes after dosing.
Results: Mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) decrease significantly in all patients from 153.43 +/- 4.3 to 124.0 +/- 2.3 mmHg after 60 minutes and to 118.0 +/- 2.1 mmHg after 120 minutes (p < 0.001). Heart rate did not show significant changes with the drug. Clinical significant side effects were not observed. The comparative analysis of MABP curves did not show significant differences among the groups I, II and III. However, a tendency of a greater decrease in MABP was observed in the patients of group III.
Conclusion: Isradipine tablets in the dosages of 1.25, 2.5 and 5.0 mg by sublingual route is effective and well tolerated in the treatment of ambulatorial patients with hypertensive crisis.