Felodipine does not increase the reflux episodes in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease.
OBJECTIVE
Calcium channel blocking agents have been reported to increase the risk of gastroesophageal reflux. However, whether felodipine, a newer calcium channel blocker, increases reflux episodes and decreases esophageal acid clearance in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease has never been studied. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate whether felodipine increases the incidence of gastroesophageal reflux in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disorder.


METHODS
Nine patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease, 6 men and 3 women, with a mean age of 62.6 +/- 14.4 years (range: 37-80 years) were studied. They received ambulatory esophageal pH monitoring for 45.7-48 hours (mean: 47.1 +/- 0.8 hours). Various pH parameters were evaluated during a similar interval of monitoring time before and after receiving 5 mg of felodipine.


RESULTS
No significant difference was noted in any pH parameter by the Wilcoxon signed Ranks test, including reflux episodes (P = 0.552), reflux episodes longer than 5 min (P = 0.683), esophageal acid clearance (P = 0.663) and fraction time of pH < 4 (P = 0.752) before and after the use of felodipine.


CONCLUSIONS
Felodipine does not increase reflux episodes or impair esophageal acid clearance in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Wu
J H
JH
Department of Internal Medicine, Military Hualien General Hospital, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Chang
C S
CS
Chen
G H
GH
Poon
S K
SK
Ko
C W
CW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D015736:Felodipine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005745:Gastric Acidity Determination; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D015736:Felodipine