title: Isradipine in essential hypertension: the Belgian General Practitioners' Study.
abstract: Over 200 hypertensive patients were recruited by 37 general practitioners into a single-blind 12-week study to assess the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of isradipine as an antihypertensive, alone and in combination with guanfacine. A total of 212 patients were given isradipine at doses of 1.25 and 2.5 mg twice daily. Twelve hours after the last dose, diastolic blood pressure was reduced to no more than 90 mm Hg in 52.6 percent of patients treated with isradipine alone. After eight weeks of treatment, 30 percent of patients were also given guanfacine 1 mg daily. By Week 12, 67.6 percent of the patients had attained normotension. Compared with placebo, side-effect frequency was higher for flushing and edema with isradipine, and dry mouth was more frequent with added guanfacine. Electrocardiographic examinations and routine laboratory determinations showed no clinically relevant changes. These data indicate that isradipine as monotherapy and in combination with guanfacine is an effective antihypertensive agent. Most patients will continue to participate in a two-year follow-up involving bimonthly clinical visits and half-yearly electrocardiographic examinations and laboratory determinations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Research, Sandoz Belgium, Brussels.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Keyser
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bouvé
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Clement
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Degraef
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Meurant
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rorive
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van Thillo
mesh_terms: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001530:Belgium; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D005260:Female; D016316:Guanfacine; D006146:Guanidines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017275:Isradipine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010648:Phenylacetates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011725:Pyridines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D006146:Guanidines; D010648:Phenylacetates; D011725:Pyridines; D016316:Guanfacine; D017275:Isradipine