[Clinical trial with isradipine in the treatment of mild and moderate arterial hypertension].

A short-term trial of isradipine was conducted in order to assess its effectiveness and tolerability in the treatment of mild to moderate HT. The study took place in general practice on 2702 patients, aged 18 to 70, with diastolic BP (dBP) from 95 to 114 mmHg. It included a pretreatment phase of up to four weeks out of antihypertensive drugs and on placebo and a twelve week treatment phase on isradipine 2.5 mg or 5.0 mg/day. After treatment with isradipine sBP fell from 168.0 to 148.1 and dBP from 102.7 to 86.7 mmHg. The majority of patients (89.6%) had a fall in dBP over 10 mmHg; 86.2% had normal dBP (= less than 90 mmHg) in the end. Adverse effects were referred by 2.8% of the patients. Satisfaction with the drug reached 90% among patients and physicians. Thus, isradipine proved effective and very well tolerated and may deserve a place as first line treatment for hypertension.