title: [Effects of slow-release nicardipine on blood pressure, renal function and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in patients with mild-to-moderate essential arterial hypertension].
abstract: The above study was intended to assess the efficacy of nicardipine in mild to moderate essential arterial hypertension and to check whether there are medium term changes in kidney function and urinary excretion of electrolytes in the course of nicardipine treatment. Twenty patients with mild to moderate essential arterial hypertension were treated daily with 40-80 mg doses of slow-release nicardipine after a wash-out period. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure was measured with traditional sphygmomanometer on entry and after 4, 8, and 12 weeks' treatment. Also, on entry and at conclusion of the study, the following parameters were measured: plasma renin activity, creatinine clearance, 24-hour urinary excretion of Na, K, Ca, and aldosterone. Nicardipine treatment was well tolerated and no significant changes of heart rate, creatinine clearance and urinary excretion of Na, K, Ca and aldosterone were observed after 12 weeks' treatment. The efficacy of nicardipine for the management of mild to moderate hypertension was thus confirmed. The absence of a natriuretic effect after 12 weeks' treatment goes to show that any diuretic action of the drug is irrelevant to its therapeutic effect which appears to be due mainly to its vasodilatory action.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Patologia Speciale Medica, Università Cattolica del S. Cuore, Roma.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Melina
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guerrera
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Santoliquido
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Colivicchi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Melina
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Musumeci
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guerrera
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009529:Nicardipine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000187:drug effects*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D009529:Nicardipine
vernacular_title: Effetti della nicardipina sr sulla pressione arteriosa, la funzione renale e il sistema renina-angiotensina-aldosterone in pazienti con ipertensione arteriosa essenziale lieve-moderata.