Efficacy and safety comparison of nitrendipine and hydralazine as antihypertensive monotherapy.
One-hundred and five patients with hypertension received nitrendipine (10-40 mg/day) or hydralazine (50-200 mg/day) in a double-blind randomized design. Nitrendipine decreased supine blood pressure 15/10 mm Hg, and hydralazine decreased it 11/11 mm Hg. Standing blood pressure was decreased 15/12 mm Hg by nitrendipine and 12/11 mm Hg by hydralazine. Supine and standing heart rate rose significantly after both drugs. Blood pressure variation through one dosing interval increased 42% when hydralazine was given but was not altered by nitrendipine. Side-effects from the two drugs were similar in patients who completed the study, but six patients discontinued participation due to side-effects of hydralazine, while only one discontinued due to nitrendipine side-effects. Ten patients required propranolol for hydralazine side-effects, and only three required it for nitrendipine side-effects. Nitrendipine and hydralazine are equally effective as antihypertensive monotherapy in patients with mild to moderate hypertension for periods up to 7 weeks, but nitrendipine appears to be better tolerated.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006830:Hydralazine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009568:Nitrendipine; D011897:Random Allocation; D013997:Time Factors
D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D006830:Hydralazine; D009568:Nitrendipine; D009543:Nifedipine