[Effects of nicardipine on hemodynamic variables and on left ventricular function in hypertensive subjects]

The study aimed to assess the effects of nicardipine on the function and hemodynamic model of the left ventricle in 14 patients affected by slight to medium primary hypertension (8 male, 6 female, mean age 53 years) using M-B mode echocardiographic techniques. Results showed that the pretreatment performance of the left ventricle was excellent owing to the use of a good pre-load reserve in view of the marked parietal stress induced by high blood pressure. Following nicardipine, blood pressure fell significantly; the contractility indices remained increased, not only due to the reduction of parietal pressure and peripheral resistances, but also due to the apparently paradoxical increase in adrenergic activity induced by the drug as the result of the inhibition of the slow recurrent (L) and the stimulation of the same current due to reflex cathecolamines.