No metabolic side effects of long-term treatment with verapamil in hypertension.
In a prospective, open study 45 patients (mean age fifty-three years) with essential hypertension were treated with verapamil for four to eight years (mean 5.3 years). Blood pressure was satisfactorily controlled (from 160/104 to 145/91) and the side effects were infrequent, mild, and often transient. Verapamil did not exert any unfavorable metabolic or hematologic effects over the years. HDL-cholesterol was moderately increased (mean 24%) and the other plasma lipids were unaffected. These data suggest that the calcium channel blocker verapamil is a metabolically safe drug to use as monotherapy in essential hypertension.
Midtbø
K
K
Medical Department, Ullevaal Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Lauve
O
O
Hals
O
O
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014700:Verapamil / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008055:Lipids; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol; D014700:Verapamil