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Primary prevention potential of the calcium antagonists. Effects on blood pressure and lipid pattern
1Section of Cardiology, Ullevaal Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Insights
Verapamil, a calcium antagonist, improved high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels in hypertensive patients. This study suggests calcium antagonists may help manage hypertension and its associated atherosclerotic complications.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pharmacology
- Metabolic Studies
Background:
- Untreated hypertension leads to severe cardiovascular events like stroke and heart failure.
- Traditional antihypertensive drugs reduce some risks but not myocardial infarctions, potentially due to adverse lipid metabolism changes.
- Calcium antagonists are established hypertension treatments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the long-term effects of verapamil monotherapy on metabolic parameters in hypertensive patients.
- To determine if verapamil influences lipid profiles and other biochemical markers.
- To explore the potential of calcium antagonists in managing both blood pressure and atherosclerotic complications.
Main Methods:
- 45 hypertensive patients received verapamil monotherapy.
- Patients were monitored for 4 to 8 years.
- Lipid profiles (total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol) and other biochemical parameters were assessed.
Main Results:
- After a mean of 5.3 years, total cholesterol and triglycerides remained unchanged.
- High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol showed a significant increase (p < 0.05).
- Other biochemical parameters were not affected by verapamil treatment.
Conclusions:
- Verapamil monotherapy favorably impacts HDL cholesterol levels in hypertensive individuals.
- Calcium antagonists, like verapamil, may offer a dual benefit in treating hypertension by addressing both pressure and atherosclerotic risks.
- Further research into calcium antagonists for comprehensive hypertension management is warranted.
Abstract:
Untreated hypertension has a variety of serious consequences, such as stroke, congestive heart failure and coronary heart disease, the incidences of which escalate sharply in the presence of other risk factors. Traditional antihypertensive therapy has been associated with reductions in the frequency of strokes, congestive heart failure and kidney failure, but a corresponding decline in myocardial infarctions has not been observed. Deleterious changes in lipid metabolism that are induced by these agents may counteract the beneficial effects of blood pressure reduction. Calcium antagonists have been used successfully in the management of hypertension for more than a decade. To define the impact of the calcium antagonist verapamil on metabolic parameters, 45 hypertensive patients were treated with verapamil monotherapy and followed up for 4 to 8 years. After a mean treatment period of 5.3 years, total cholesterol and triglycerides were unchanged, whereas mean high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol increased significantly, from 1.17 +/- 0.41 to 1.39 +/- 0.36 mmol/L (p less than 0.05). Other important biochemical parameters were unaffected by verapamil therapy. The primary target organs of hypertension are the arterial system and the myocardium. Accumulating literature now suggests that the calcium antagonists may represent an effective therapeutic approach to hypertension that controls both the pressure-related and atherosclerotic complications.