title: Improved tolerability of the dihydropyridine calcium-channel antagonist lercanidipine: the lercanidipine challenge trial.
abstract: The objective of this 8-week open-label study was to compare the tolerability of lercanidipine, a dihydropyridine calcium-channel antagonist (CA), with that of other CAs in the treatment of hypertension. Subjects already taking amlodipine, felodipine, nifedipine gastrointestinal therapeutic system (GITS), or nitrendipine and experiencing CA-specific adverse effects (AEs) were switched to lercanidipine for 4 weeks and then rechallenged with their initial treatment for 4 weeks. Results showed that at comparable levels of BP, lercanidipine was associated with a significantly lower incidence of ankle edema, flushing, rash, headache and dizziness compared with other CAs (p < 0.001). After 4 weeks of lercanidipine, mean systolic blood pressure (SBP)/diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was 142.1/86.7 mmHg. After rechallenge with other CAs for 4 weeks, mean SBP/DBP was 141.1/86.7 mmHg. In this open-label study, lercanidipine compared with other CA seems to provide a significant improvement in tolerability with comparable antihypertensive effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. claudio@med.unibo.it
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Borghi
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Prandin
authors.forename: Ada
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dormi
authors.forename: Ettore
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ambrosioni
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004095:Dihydropyridines / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004487:Edema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D023381:Endpoint Determination; D005260:Female; D005483:Flushing / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D006261:Headache / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010352:Patient Dropouts
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D004095:Dihydropyridines; C060343:lercanidipine