title: Antihypertensive mechanism of amlodipine in essential hypertension: role of pressor reactivity to norepinephrine and angiotensin II.
abstract: Calcium entry blockade may affect the pressor reactivity to vasoconstrictors. The pressor response to norepinephrine and angiotensin II, as well as several other blood pressure modulating factors, were studied in normal subjects (n = 9) and patients with essential hypertension (n = 10) before and after 8 weeks of treatment with the long-acting dihydropyridine amlodipine. In control subjects, calcium entry blockade did not modify blood pressure, the pressor and aldosterone response to angiotensin II, the activity of the renin-angiotensin and sympathetic nervous systems, or urinary dinoprostone (prostaglandin E2) excretion; however, the pressor response to norepinephrine was significantly decreased (p less than 0.01). In patients with hypertension, amlodipine decreased blood pressure (p less than 0.01) and the pressor response to both norepinephrine and angiotensin II (p less than 0.01), without changes in body weight, plasma renin, angiotensin II and catecholamine levels, dinoprostone excretion, or aldosterone responsiveness to angiotensin II. These findings suggest that calcium entry blockade modifies sympathetic-dependent vasoconstriction in both normal subjects and in patients with hypertension. Angiotensin II pressor response may be selectively decreased in essential hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Ospedale Italiano, Viganello, Switzerland.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Donati
authors.forename: F R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Bühler
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Beretta-Piccoli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kusch
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Heinen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017311:Amlodipine; D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001835:Body Weight; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D004573:Electrolytes; D000804:Angiotensin II; D017311:Amlodipine; D009543:Nifedipine; D009638:Norepinephrine