Effects of antihypertensive drugs on SBP variability are dose-dependent and persist when used in combinations .
Use of a high dose of a calcium channel blocker alone or in combination with other agents is therefore likely to be particularly effective in prevention of stroke
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Recent studies have shown that visit-to-visit blood pressure variability is a powerful risk factor for stroke , is reduced by calcium channel blockers and diuretics , and increased by β-blockers .
However , it is unknown whether these effects are dose-dependent and persist in combination with other drugs .
Antihypertensive effects of a new sustained-release formulation of nifedipine.
The blood pressure response to a new sustained-release formulation of nifedipine was evaluated in an 8-week , double-blind , placebo-controlled study . Twenty-nine patients with mild essential hypertension were r and omized to receive placebo ( N = 9 ) , 30 mg nifedipine ( N = 10 ) , or 60 mg nifedipine ( N = 10 ) . During treatment , 30-mg and 60-mg doses of nifedipine administered once daily decreased office blood pressures from 137/98 + /- 8/2 mm Hg and 141/98 + /- 15/2 mm Hg at baseline , respectively , to 126/89 + /- 9/7 mm Hg and 126/86 + /- 6/7 mm Hg ( P less than .005 ) . Noninvasive automatic ambulatory blood pressure monitoring demonstrated a marginally significant ( P less than .10 ) reduction in the mean 24-hour blood pressure of 2/6 + /- 8/8 mm Hg and 5/6 + /- 9/9 mm Hg for patients taking 30 mg and 60 mg nifedipine once daily , respectively . Diastolic blood pressure load ( the percentage of ambulatory diastolic blood pressure readings greater than 90 mm Hg ) during 24 hours was decreased by 41 % and 35 % , with 30 mg and 60 mg nifedipine administered once daily , respectively . No significant dose response to nifedipine at these dose levels was observed . Although the once-daily formulation of nifedipine achieved effective control of office blood pressure , similar control was not observed in awake and 24-hour periods in all patients
Effects of antihypertensive drugs on SBP variability are dose-dependent and persist when used in combinations .
Use of a high dose of a calcium channel blocker alone or in combination with other agents is therefore likely to be particularly effective in prevention of stroke
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Recent studies have shown that visit-to-visit blood pressure variability is a powerful risk factor for stroke , is reduced by calcium channel blockers and diuretics , and increased by β-blockers .
However , it is unknown whether these effects are dose-dependent and persist in combination with other drugs .