Antihypertensive effect of verapamil and its effect on blood chemistry during short-term treatment

ABSTRACT

Verapamil, a calcium channel blacker, was given to 36 [27 females and 9 males] out door patients for three weeks. Mean age was 45 +/- 2 years, mean weight before treatment was 67+2 kg, after treatment it was 64 +/- 3 kg, mean height was 152 +/- 2 cm and mean duration of hypertension was 4 +/- 0.5 years. Mean supine systolic pressure decreased from 169 +/- 3 mmHg to 152 +/- 3.5 mmHg [p<0.001] while supine standing pressure dropped from 171 +/- 4.6 mmHg to 156 +/- 3.8 mmHg [p<0.05]. Mean supine diastolic pressure decreased from 107 +/- 1 mmHg to 93.7 +/- 1.8 mmHg [p<0.001] while erect diastolic pressure decreased from 113 +/- 1 mmHg to 100 +/- 2.2 mmHg. [p<0.001] Mean supine arterial pressure decreased from 128 mmHg to 113 mmHg while standing mean arterial pressure decreased from 133 mmHg to 119 mmHg. No statistically significant fall in heart rate both in supine and standing position was observed. Laboratory results did not show any variation. In 69% of the patients with supine systolic pressure was < /- 150 mmHg while in 66% of the patients supine diastolic pressure was <90 mmHg. Verapamil is found to be effective and safe as monotherapy in mild to moderate hypertension