Effects of pinacidil on serum lipid, lipoprotein, and apolipoprotein levels in patients with mild to moderate hypertension.

Twenty-two patients with mild to moderate hypertension received 20 mg of pinacidil daily for six weeks, followed by 40 mg daily for another six weeks. Levels of serum triglyceride and apolipoproteins C-II and C-III decreased significantly; high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels increased significantly during treatment. These changes were more prominent in patients with total triglyceride levels of 150 mg/dl or over. The results suggest that pinacidil has a preferential action on triglyceride-rich lipoprotein metabolism.