Renal effects of nicardipine in patients with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension.

We studied the renal effects of nicardipine, a calcium entry blocker, in seven patients with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and renal blood flow (RBF) were measured by means of thiosulfate and para-aminohippurate, respectively. Intravenous administration of nicardipine hydrochloride (0.5 mg) increased RBF by 26.8 +/- 5.8% (mean +/- SEM, p less than 0.01), GFR by 35.4 +/- 12.4% (p less than 0.05), and urinary excretion of sodium by 56.4 +/- 10.7% (p less than 0.05) with a significant (p less than 0.01) reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure as compared to control values. Nicardipine decreased total renal vascular resistance by 30.0 +/- 3.2% (p less than 0.05) from the control value, while filtration fraction remained unchanged. Our results indicate that nicardipine has several favorable renal effects with a concomitant hypotensive action in patients with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes