title: Efficacy and safety of felodipine, a new dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker, in elderly hypertensive patients.
abstract: Felodipine is a new dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker with a number of properties that enhance its suitability as a first-line antihypertensive drug for the elderly. Felodipine has a 100-fold selectivity for inhibiting the contribution of vascular smooth muscle compared with cardiac muscle. Negative inotropic action appears minimal while selectivity appears to increase with age. Felodipine has a minimal effect on smooth muscle of venous capacitance vessels, thereby greatly reducing the likelihood of orthostatic hypotension. Renal effects are favorable; the glomerular filtration rate is increased in some patients. The extended-release formulation of felodipine produces a smooth 24-hour plasma concentration curve and is effective when prescribed once daily. Felodipine appears to lower blood pressure effectively in the elderly patient with few, generally mild, adverse effects.
authors.affiliation: University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: DeQuattro
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D015736:Felodipine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015736:Felodipine