Effects of nisoldipine on renal function in normal volunteers and essential hypertensive patients

To evaluate the renal effects of nisoldipine (N), a dihydropyridine derivative, we have evaluated the variations of blood pressure (BP), heart rate, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), renal plasma flow (RPF), 24-h natriuresis, and renal capacity to excrete an i.v. sodium load (2,000 ml isotonic saline in 4-h) in response to a 4-day course of therapy with placebo (P) and N in six normotensive volunteers and six mild-to-moderate essential hypertensive patients. Both volunteers and patients were studied on two constant diets (20 and 150 mEq of sodium daily). No parameters changed after P. On the contrary, N induced a significant fall of BP (p less than 0.01) in the group of patients but not in volunteers. In both groups RPF and GFR increased significantly (p less than 0.05-0.01) while on a low sodium intake but remained constant when sodium intake was high. In the two groups studied, nisoldipine exhibited natriuretic properties manifested by an increase in the 24-h output of sodium as well as by an increased renal capacity to excrete the i.v. sodium load. These natriuretic properties were present in both situations of sodium load and could be facilitated by the change in renal hemodynamics observed when the intake of sodium was low.