Nifedipine gastrointestinal therapeutic system (GITS). A review of its pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties and therapeutic efficacy in hypertension and angina pectoris.

Nifedipine 'gastrointestinal therapeutic system' (GITS) is a recently developed formulation that slowly releases the drug into the intestinal tract over a 24-hour period. When administered once daily, it is of similar efficacy to sustained release formulations of felodipine, verapamil, and diltiazem and at least as effective as standard formulations of lisinopril and enalapril, and long-acting propranolol and atenolol in the treatment of patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension. Substitution of nifedipine GITS for conventional formulations of nifedipine, diltiazem or verapamil, maintained adequate control of anginal symptoms in patients with stable angina pectoris. Nifedipine GITS appears to maintain quality of life and is apparently better tolerated than those formulations of nifedipine which require 2 or 3 times daily administration in both elderly and younger patients. In addition, it has minimal effect on lipid and glucose metabolism and reverses left ventricular hypertrophy, and is thus suitable for treatment of the majority of patients with mild to moderate hypertension or angina pectoris.