Long-term effectiveness of BAY e 5009-nitrendipine in the treatment of mild and moderate arterial hypertension.

Thirty-seven white patients of both sexes were studied to determine the efficacy and tolerance of nitrendipine for long ambulatory treatment in patients suffering from mild to moderate essential arterial hypertension whose response to the drug had been effective in a previous study. They all suffered from mild essential arterial hypertension, with diastolic arterial blood pressure (DBP) of 95-104 mm Hg, and moderate arterial hypertension with DBP of 105-114 mm Hg, in WHO Stage I or II, according to the clinical, radiological, electrocardiographic, and ophthalmoscopic examinations. In a previous study, all of them had been subjected to tensional controls, performed hourly during an 8-h period to assess their hypertension. Later, they were treated with increasing doses of nitrendipine, administered once or twice daily, until DBP figures under 90 mm Hg were obtained in at least five of the eight controls of each daily profile. All of them agreed to take part in the present research and underwent heart rate and arterial blood pressure controls in supine and standing position every 14 days during 24 periods. Simultaneous clinical and weight controls were performed. Moreover, an electrocardiogram was made every 28 days, and blood and urine tests were performed every 3 months. Of the 37 patients, 31 completed the 24 periods of 2 weeks each. Therefore, of 888 possible controls only 837 controls were made and submitted for assessment. Eighteen patients (48.6%) went on with the initial dose throughout the study or were able to reduce it. Eleven (29.7%) had to increase it, and in eight cases (21.6%) it was either increased or reduced.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)