Calcium antagonist treatment and cardiovascular responses to a cold pressor test at high altitude.

OBJECTIVE: We assessed the effects of the calcium antagonist felodipine on blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation and cardiovascular responses to a cold pressor test at an altitude of 5200 m. Sixteen healthy climbers participated. A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, crossover design was used. Placebo or felodipine were taken for 2 days and the treatment was changed after 3 days washout.
RESULTS: During felodipine treatment there were no significant changes in blood pressure (125/89 vs 127/86 mmHg), heart rate (82 vs 81 beats.min-1) or oxygen saturation (86% vs 86%). Moreover, there were no changes in the cardiovascular responses to the cold pressor test.
CONCLUSION: Felodipine is well tolerated at high altitude. It does not induce hypotension in normotensive men and does not affect cardiovascular reactivity to cold stress.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes