Immediate and longer-term effects of nicardipine, at rest and during exercise, in patients with coronary artery disease.

Haemodynamic effects of nicardipine were studied in 12 patients with coronary artery disease. After 10 mg i.v. at rest heart rate increased (P less than 0.001); mean arterial pressure decreased (P less than 0.001); systemic vascular resistance decreased (P less than 0.001); cardiac output increased (P less than 0.001) and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure did not change. Exercise at control levels showed an increase (P less than 0.001) of heart rate and cardiac index and decreases of mean arterial pressure, systemic vascular resistance and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (P less than 0.001). The ejection fraction response to exercise did not change. During exercise nicardipine prevented angina pectoris in 8/12 patients. Nicardipine is a potent vasodilator, which produced a marked reduction of systemic vascular resistance and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure during exercise. Angina pectoris was prevented on exercise in the majority of patients after intravenous administration.