Multiple oral doses of nicardipine, a calcium-entry blocker: effects on renal function, plasma renin activity, and aldosterone concentration in mild-to-moderate essential hypertension.

We studied the effects of nicardipine administered in a 4-week fixed oral maintenance dosage (20 or 40 mg t.i.d.) on renal function, plasma renin activity (PRA), and plasma aldosterone concentration in seven patients with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension. Glomerular filtration rate and renal blood flow were measured by means of sodium thiosulfate and para-aminohippurate, respectively. Nicardipine increased renal blood flow by 11.5% +/- 4.3% (mean +/- SE; P less than 0.05) and glomerular filtration rate by 16.3% +/- 6.4% (P less than 0.05) and decreased total renal vascular resistance by 30.0% +/- 2.7% (P less than 0.05), with a significant (P less than 0.05) reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure as compared with placebo values. Nicardipine increased PRA significantly (P less than 0.05), whereas plasma aldosterone concentration remained unchanged. Our results indicate that nicardipine given in a multiple oral dosage has some favorable renal effects with a concomitant hypotensive action in patients with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension. Nicardipine appears to blunt the secretion of aldosterone responding to an increased PRA possibly through its calcium-antagonizing action.