Isradipine in Asian patients with hypertension

Isradipine, a new calcium antagonist, was administered to 51 Pakistani patients with hypertension (36 women, 15 men; mean age 47 years) over an 8-week period. Mean sitting systolic, and sitting and standing diastolic blood pressure was significantly reduced, and mean standing systolic blood pressure tended to decrease. Laboratory values, and both sitting and standing heart rates were not significantly affected by isradipine treatment. At the end of 8 weeks, 41.2% of patients were receiving isradipine 1.25mg twice daily, and 58.8% were receiving 2.5mg twice daily. Isradipine was found to be effective and well tolerated in Pakistani patients with mild to moderate hypertension.