In a prospective, open study 45 patients (mean age fifty-three years) with essential hypertension were treated with verapamil for four to eight years (mean 5.3 years). Blood pressure was satisfactorily controlled (from 160/104 to 145/91) and the side effects were infrequent, mild, and often transient. Verapamil did not exert any unfavorable metabolic or hematologic effects over the years. HDL-cholesterol was moderately increased (mean 24%) and the other plasma lipids were unaffected. These data suggest that the calcium channel blocker verapamil is a metabolically safe drug to use as monotherapy in essential hyper tension.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Midtbϕ K., Hals O., van der Meer J., et al: Instant and sustained-release verapamil in the treatment of essential hypertension . Am J Cardiol57:59-63, 1986.
2.
Strunge P., Engby B., Schmidt E., et al: Variation of serum lipoproteins in postmyocardial infarction patients treated with verapamil or placebo. Acta Med Scan681 (Suppl): 53-57, 1983.
3.
Faergeman O. , Meinertz H., Fischer Hansen J.: Serum lipoproteins after treatment with verapamil for 6 months. Acta Med Scand681. (Suppl): 49-51, 1983.
4.
Walldius G.: Effect of verapamil on serum lipoproteins in patients with angina pectoris . Acta Med Scand681 (Suppl): 43-48, 1983.
5.
Lewis Grj, Stewart DJ, Lewis BM, et al: The antihypertensive effect of oral verapamil — acute and long-term administration and its effects on the high-density lipoprotein values in plasma. In: Calcium Antagonism in Cardiovascular Therapy. Experience with Verapamil, ed. by Zanchetti A, Krikler DM.Amsterdam: Excerpta Medica, 1981 , pp 270-277.
6.
Peer G., Korzets A., Levtov O.: Plasma lipid profile in verapamil-treated hypertensive patients. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther Toxicol25:489-492, 1987.
7.
Dollery CT: Does it matter how blood pressure is reduced ? Clin Sci61:4135-420S, 1981.
8.
Lehtonen A., Gordin A.: Metabolic parameters after changing from hydrochlorothiazide to verapamil treatment in hypertension. Eur J Clin Pharmacol27:153-157, 1984.
9.
Andersson Deh: Effect of verapamil on insulin release and glucose metabolism in man (thesis) . Stockholm: Hanson & Jilert , 1984.
10.
Weidmann P. , Gerber A., Mordasini R.: Effects of antihypertensive therapy on serum lipoproteins. Hypertension5 (Suppl III): 120-131, 1983.
11.
Goldman AI, Steele BW, Schnaper HW, et al: Serum lipoprotein levels during chlorthalidone therapy. JAMA244:1691-1694, 1980.
12.
Leren P., Eide I., Foss OP, et al: Antihypertensive drugs and blood lipids: The Oslo study. Br J Clin Pharmacol13:441S-442S, 1982.
13.
England Idf , Simons LA, Gibson JC, et al: The effect of metoprolol and atenolol on plasma high-density-lipoprotein levels in man. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol7:329-333, 1980.
14.
Helgeland A. , Hjermann I., Leren P., et al: High density lipoprotein cholesterol and antihypertensive drugs. The Oslo study. Br Med J2:403, 1978.
15.
Helgeland A. : Treatment of mild hypertension. A five-year controlled drug trial. The Oslo study. Am J Med69:725-732, 1980.
Editorial. Antihypertensive drugs, plasma lipids, and coronary disease. LancetII:19-20, 1980.
18.
Fleckenstein A, Laragh JH, eds. Hypertension the Next Decade: Verapamil in Focus. London: Churchill Livingstone , 1987, pp 67-119.
19.
Bühler FR, Hulthen LU, Kiowski W., et al: The place of the calcium antagonist verapamil in antihypertensive therapy. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol4 (Suppl 3): 350S-357S, 1982.
20.
Krebs R.: Adverse reactions with calcium antagonists. Hypertension5 (Suppl II): 125-129, 1983.
