title: [Demographic characteristics and response to antihypertensive treatment. Study using fixed doses of diltiazem].
abstract: Since the stepped care approach has been widened to four classes of antihypertensive drugs, demographic considerations enter into the choice of the first line drug. Calcium antagonists have been claimed to be more active in older patients because the average BP decrease after dose titration could be greater in this age group than in younger people. In this study, the response to a fixed dose of diltiazem has been related to different demographic factors. The selected patients have been treated with diltiazem 120 mg b.i.d. in monotherapy for at least 14 days irrespective of their response to a lower dose. There were 231 patients (115 M, 116 F). Their average age was 59 +/- 11 years (24 to 82) and their treatment duration was 44 +/- 27 days. Diltiazem lowered BP from 171 +/- 1/103 +/- 7 mmHg to 156 +/- 1/91 +/- 1 mmHg. The decline in both SBP and DBP with diltiazem was significantly related to their control values (r = 0.31 and 0.28 respectively, p less than 0.0001 for both). Although control SBP was related to age (r = 0.40, p less than 0.0001), its decrease with diltiazem was not. Neither control DBP nor its decrease with diltiazem were related to age. Although the average SBP was higher in patients over 60 years than in younger patients (176 +/- 2 mmHg, n = 124 vs 166 +/- 2 mmHg, n = 107, p less than 0.01), its decrease with diltiazem was not significantly greater (- 16 +/- 2 vs - 15 +/- 1 mmHg).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'études et de recherche Synthélabo, Paris.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Elkik
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Claudel
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Carcone
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Grippon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D004110:Diltiazem / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D004110:Diltiazem
vernacular_title: Caractères démographiques et réponse au traitement antihypertenseur. Etude à dose fixe avec le diltiazem.