Haemodynamic effects of intravenous felodipine in normotensive and hypertensive subjects.
The effects of intravenous administration of a new calcium antagonist, felodipine, were studied in healthy subjects and hypertensive patients. Felodipine infused at a rate of 0.01 mg/min in 10 normotensive volunteers caused gradual haemodynamic and hormonal changes compatible with a direct vasodilatory mechanism of action; it also had a diuretic and natriuretic effect. When infused at a mean dose of 0.02 mg/kg bodyweight over 20 to 120 minutes in 7 patients with a hypertensive emergency, felodipine caused a rapid reduction in blood pressure with a maximal fall in mean arterial pressure of 30.4 +/- 7.3% (mean +/- 1 SD) in 30 minutes. No serious side effects were observed. The haemodynamic effectiveness of an infusion rate of 0.01 mg/min was confirmed in a pilot study of 5 patients with refractory hypertension. On the basis of these findings, a schedule for the treatment of acute hypertension with intravenous felodipine is proposed.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D015736:Felodipine; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D009543:Nifedipine; D015736:Felodipine; D009638:Norepinephrine