Antihypertensive effect of isradipine on blood pressure at rest and during exercise

After three months of treatment with isradipine, 20 patients with mild hypertension had reduced their resting blood pressure (BP) from 157/103 to 132/85 mm Hg and their BP during isometric exercise from 192/124 to 166/105 mm Hg. The isradipine dose necessary to normalize BP (both at rest and post-exercise) was 1.25 mg twice daily (2 x 1/2 tablet) in 50% of patients and 2.5 mg twice daily (2 x 1 tablet) in 25%. In the remaining 25% of patients, isradipine was combined with 1 mg/day bopindolol. There were virtually no accompanying side effects; in particular, reflex tachycardia was negligible or absent. It is concluded that isradipine is a reliable antihypertensive treatment in mild-to-moderate hypertension.