Effect of isradipine, a new calcium antagonist on the lipid profile in patients with hypertension.

The effect of isradipine versus hydrocholorothiazide on the lipid profile of 44 hypertensive patients was investigated in a double-blind, randomized trial. Lipid profiles included total cholesterol, serum triglycerides, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL), HDL subclasses (HDL2 and HDL3), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL), Apolipoprotein A-1 and Apolipoprotein B. Isradipine had no effect on the lipid profile in 52 week studies. Hydrochlorothiazide increased serum triglycerides in 11 of 13 patients by a mean of 8% for the group (p less than 0.05) in 52 week studies, and total cholesterol by a mean of 9 and 16% respectively (p less than 0.01) in 2 of 13 patients, with no difference in other lipid or lipoprotein parameters in short or long term experiments.