title: Efficacy of low felodipine dose monotherapy in mild-to-moderate hypertension: a comparison between office and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.
abstract: The efficacy and tolerability of felodipine, in a low dose of 5-10 mg daily was assessed in 32 patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension, aged 53 +/- 11 years. The results of office vs 24 h ambulatory blood pressure measurements (ABPM) were compared. Inclusion criteria included an office systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP/DBP) > 140/90 mm Hg and a 24 h ABPM SBP/DBP > 135/85 mm Hg. Felodipine was initiated at a dose of 5 mg daily. At day 28 of the study, if office DBP > 90 mm Hg, the dose was doubled to 10 mg daily. At the end of the study (day 84), 24 h ABPM was done again. Side effects were noted throughout the study. Four patients dropped out during the study (two due to headache, one due to pedal edema and one rejected further participation). Of the remaining 28 patients, at day 28, 12 required an increased dose of 10 mg/day. At the end of the study, office BP was below 140 90 mm Hg in 71% of the patients. In the whole group BP decreased from 158 +/- 15/101 +/- 8.4 to 138 +/- 9/85 +/- 5 mm Hg, P < 0.001. ABPM showed that BP was normalized in 82% of the patients. It decreased from 146.8 +/- 9.56/94.8 +/- 7.4 to 130.2 +/- 10.6/83 +/- 6.3 mm Hg, P < 0.001. BP was similarly reduced in working and sleeping hours, with preservation of the circadian rhythm. Heart rate was unaffected by the drug. Five patients showed persistently elevated SBP on office measurements while on ABPM, the values were within normal limits. This finding confirms the existence of a white coat effect in patients with proven hypertension and the superiority of ABPM over office BP measurements in clinical investigations. In summary, ABPM showed that the antihypertensive effect of felodipine was sustained throughout normal 24 h, including the critical (as regards cardiovascular morbidity) awakening hours.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, Meir Hospital, Kfar-Saba, Israel.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Podjarny
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Korzets
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bernheim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015736:Felodipine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009819:Office Visits
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D015736:Felodipine