Calcium antagonist treatment and cardiovascular responses to a cold pressor test at high altitude.
OBJECTIVE
We assessed the effects of the calcium antagonist felodipine on blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation and cardiovascular responses to a cold pressor test at an altitude of 5200 m. Sixteen healthy climbers participated. A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, crossover design was used. Placebo or felodipine were taken for 2 days and the treatment was changed after 3 days washout.


RESULTS
During felodipine treatment there were no significant changes in blood pressure (125/89 vs 127/86 mmHg), heart rate (82 vs 81 beats.min-1) or oxygen saturation (86% vs 86%). Moreover, there were no changes in the cardiovascular responses to the cold pressor test.


CONCLUSIONS
Felodipine is well tolerated at high altitude. It does not induce hypotension in normotensive men and does not affect cardiovascular reactivity to cold stress.
Hankø
E
E
Medical Department, Ullevål Hospital, University of Oslo, Norway.
Rostrup
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000531:Altitude; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015736:Felodipine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism
D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D015736:Felodipine; D010100:Oxygen