Amlodipine 2.5 mg once daily in older hypertensives: a Brazilian multi-centre study.
OBJECTIVE
The use of low-dose amlodipine has not yet been well established in the elderly. This study therefore aimed to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of low-dose amlodipine in elderly patients with Joint National Committee VI stage I or II hypertension.


METHODS
Sixty-five hypertensive individuals (aged 66.3 +/- 5.3 years) received amlodipine 2.5 mg per day for 12 weeks before and after two periods of 4 weeks of placebo. At weeks 0, 12 and 16, patients were submitted to office, 24 h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and home blood pressure measurement.


RESULTS
Office systolic and diastolic blood pressure showed decreases at weeks 8 (153 +/- 17, 90 +/- 9 mmHg) and 12 (152 +/- 16, 90 +/- 9 mmHg) compared with weeks 0 (164 +/- 16, 99 +/- 6 mmHg) and 16 (162 +/- 19, 95 +/- 9 mmHg). During ambulatory monitoring, a decrease was observed in the average 24 h systolic and diastolic pressure at week 12 (143 +/- 13, 86 +/- 7 mmHg) compared with weeks 0 (155 +/- 15, 93 +/- 6 mmHg) and 16 (152 +/- 16, 92 +/- 8 mmHg). A daytime and night-time reduction in systolic and diastolic pressure was observed on home blood pressure monitoring at week 12 (146 +/- 16/88 +/- 8, 144 +/- 16/93 +/- 8 mmHg) compared with weeks 0 (159 +/- 17/94 +/- 8, 161 +/- 19/93 +/- 8 mmHg) and 16 (153 +/- 16/93 +/- 8, 154 +/- 17/92 +/- 8 mmHg). Adverse reactions were infrequent.


CONCLUSIONS
Amlodipine at a dose of 2.5 mg per day showed efficacy and good tolerability in elderly hypertensives.
Mion
Décio
D
University of São Paulo General Hospital, Brazil. deciomion@uol.com.br
Ortega
Katia C
KC
Gomes
Marco A M
MA
Kohlmann
Osvaldo
O
Oigman
Wille
W
Nobre
Fernando
F
D000368:Aged; D017311:Amlodipine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000633:toxicity; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; D001938:Brazil; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009819:Office Visits; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D017311:Amlodipine