title: [Efficacy and tolerability of nicardipine retard and captopril in hypertension in the aged. Results of a multicenter study].
abstract: The efficacy and tolerability of nicardipine retard and captopril were assessed in 174 over-60-year-olds suffering from slight or moderate essential hypertension. After 2-3 weeks of wash out the patients were randomly assigned to calcium antagonist (40 mg twice a day) or ace-inhibitor (25 mg twice a day) treatment which continued for 180 days. Monotherapy was combined with hydrochlorothiazide (12.5 mg/day) after 2 months in the event of an unsatisfactory reduction of arterial pressure in relation to basal values. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure was measured (1st and 5th Korotkoff's tone) at monthly intervals while lying and standing; heart rate was also measured using a palpatory method. Both nicardipine retard (no. 86) and captopril (no. 88) caused a significant reduction of clino- and orthostatic systolic and diastolic arterial pressure during the first two months of treatment. Respectively 70% and 51% of patients responded to treatment and the blood pressure reductions achieved using monotherapy remained unchanged during the course of the study. The association of hydrochlorothiazide resulted in a significant decrease in arterial pressure in non-responders, an effect which was observed with both nicardipine retard and captopril. No significant variation in heart rate was recorded between the two groups. Twenty-one patients in the nicardipine retard group and 16 in the captopril group suffered from slight to moderate side effects. Six patients dropped out of the nicardipine retard group and 15 patients out of the captopril group, an event for which side-effects were responsible in 1 and 3 cases respectively. In conclusion, nicardipine retard and captopril represent an efficacious form of treatment for geriatric hypertension and possess a satisfactory level of tolerability.
authors.affiliation: Università degli Studi di Milano, Cattedra di Medicina Interna, Policlinico I, Napoli.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mancia
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Buoninconti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Errico
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Freda
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Giordano
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Granata
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Lucentini
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marsili
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pasotti
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Piccolo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002216:Captopril / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009529:Nicardipine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D002216:Captopril; D009529:Nicardipine
vernacular_title: Efficacia e tollerabilità della nicardipina retard e del captopril nell'ipertensione dell'anziano. Risultati di uno studio multicentrico.