Chewing nifedipine to rapidly treat hypertension.

Nifedipine, a calcium channel-blocking agent, was administered buccally to 63 patients who had a diastolic BP of 120 mm Hg or higher (51 patients) or a systolic BP of 200 mm Hg or higher (46 patients). Forty-two patients responded to one dose of 10 mg of nifedipine with a drop in BP from 205.5 +/- 24.4/127.7 +/- 11.7 (mean systolic BP +/- SD/mean diastolic BP +/- SD) to 158.6 +/- 24.7/88.8 +/- 10 mm Hg in 39.9 +/- 13.0 minutes (mean +/- SD). Nineteen patients responded to two doses of 10 mg of nifedipine with a drop in BP from 212.1 +/- 27.1/128.2 +/- 17.3 to 165.4 +/- 24.5/93.8 +/- 10.7 mm Hg after 66.0 +/- 17.8 minutes. There were no side effects and no hypotension even among the 38 patients who had recently received other medications. Chewing perforated nifedipine capsules is a safe and effective method to lower BP promptly without parenteral medications.