[Acute and chronic effects of a new calcium blocker, nicardipine, on renal hemodynamics in arterial hypertension].

Renal hemodynamics and natriuresis were studied in 9 hypertensive patients without renal failure, 2 hours and 4 hours after oral intake of Nicardipine 30 mg; sodium intake was kept constant during the study (100 mmol per day). Then, Nicardipine was given at a dose of 30 mg three times a day and the hemodynamic study was repeated on the 6th day (2 hours after the morning dose). Renal blood flow (RBF) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) were measured by the clearance methods using 131I-hippuran and 125I-iothalamate respectively. Results are as follows: (Table: see text). These results confirm the potent renal vasodilatory effect of Nicardipine; GFR was not significantly altered while RBF and FF returned to normal levels. An early and transient natriuretic effect was observed after the first dose of Nicardipine and body weight showed a significant decrease during the study indicating that no sodium retention was induced by Nicardipine.