nifedipine effective for hypertension in japanese patients
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12 THERAPY
Nifedipine effective for hypertension in Japanese patients
The results of a Japanese study showed that nifedipine reduced BP to a greater extent than trichloromethiazide, atenolol and enalapril. The antihypertensive response in these Japanese patients seemed to more closely resemble Black rather than White populations, say the researchers.
16 men and 22 women with mild or moderate essential hypertension were enrolled in the study; 13 patients did not complete the programme. Following a control period, each participant received trichloromethiazide, nifedipine retard, atenolol and enalapril, sequentially in different orders of the 4 drugs. The treatment period for each drug was 8-12 weeks and the maximum dosage of trichloromethiazide, nifedipine, atenolol and enalapril was 4, 40, 50 and 20 mglday, respectively.
The goal BP of < I50190mm Hg was reached in 6, II, 4 and 2 patients during treatment with trichloromethiazide, nifedipine, atenolol and enalapril, respectively. BP was significantly lower during antihypertensive therapy, compared with the control period, and nifedipine was found to reduce BP to a greater extent than the other agents.
The researchers say that a calcium antagonist may be most effective in Japanese patients in terms of lowering BP, but further studies are required for precise comparison of the antihypertensive effects of different agents.
Kojima S. Kawano Y. Yoshitomi Y. KW1IIIlOuchi M. Matsuoka H. et a1. Comparison of first· line antihypertensive drugs by a randomized cross-over
method - a preliminary report. Koketsuatsu 18: 303·305. Dec 1995 .... """.
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