Calcium channel blockers shorten the periodicity of ultradian variation in blood pressure in patients with essential hypertension.

We studied ultradian and circadian variations in blood pressure (BP) in patients with essential hypertension who were receiving antihypertensive agents. No patient had previously received antihypertensive agents before this study began. After a 2-wk control period, we performed ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) in 86 patients with essential hypertension (WHO stages I or II). The patients were then given a long-acting angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) (captopril or imidapril), a beta-receptor blocker (arotinolol or bisoprolol), or a calcium channel blocker (nisoldipine or benidipine) twice daily to control BP. We evaluated the patients' BP once every 2 wk to ensure optimal control. After 12 wk, ultradian and circadian variations in BP were analyzed by the maximum entropy method (MEM). All antihypertensive agents decreased office systolic BP (SBP), office diastolic BP (DBP), 24-h SBP, and 24-h DBP. ACEI did not change office, 24-h, daytime, or nighttime pulse rate (PR). Arotinolol and bisoprolol decreased 24-h PR. All antihypertensive agents decreased 24-h, daytime, and nighttime pressure rate product. MEM showed that no antihypertensive agent affected the circadian variation in the 1st peak (24-h periodicity) of SBP, DBP, or PR. However, calcium channel blockers shortened the periodicity of circadian variations in the 2nd peak (12-h periodicity) of SBP and the 3rd peak (8 to 6 h periodicity) of SBP. Therefore, ultradian variations in BP should be carefully monitored in hypertensive patients treated with calcium channel blockers.