Twenty-four Hour Profile of the Hypotensive Action of Felodipine in Essential Hypertension

Felodipine, 10 mg twice daily, and placebo were administered for 5 weeks to ten untreated essential hypertensives in a double-blind, random-order, crossover study. At the end of each phase patients were assessed by 36 hours of continuous intraarterial blood pressure recordings, both during normal activities and specified activities. Patients were also assessed by 36-hour Holter analysis, maximal exercise testing, radionuclide cardiac scan, and measurement of endogenous creatinine clearance and 2-hourly vasoactive hormones. Arterial pressure was significantly reduced by felodipine, with mean falls in blood pressure of 25.1 mmHg and 12.5 mmHg (systolic and diastolic, respectively) over 24 hours. Blood pressure was reduced by felodipine during moderate and maximal exercise and mental stress. There were no significant changes in heart rate, exercise capacity, ventricular ectopy, endogenous creatinine clearance, or vasoactive hormones.