Antihypertensive activity of verapamil: impact of dietary sodium

OBJECTIVE:To define the influence of dietary salt intake on the antihypertensive effect of slow-release verapamil 240 mg once a day in a population with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension. DESIGN:Parallel, randomized, multicentre study. METHODS:Patients were advised to follow a moderately low salt diet (Low—salt group). After a 2—week run—in period, those patients with 24—h urinary sodium excretion (UNa) ≤120mmol/day and a diastolic blood pressure (DBP) between 90 and 114mmHg were randomly assigned to verapamil + Low—salt or verapamil + unrestricted—salt diet (High—salt group) for 28 days. Compliance with diets was defined as Low—salt UNa ≤120mmol/day and High—salt UNa120mmol/day with UNa increased by ≥60mmol/day over the level attained at the end of the run-in period. RESULTS:Significant reductions in mean systolic blood pressure ( SBP) and DBP were found in both the Low—salt (n=235) and High—salt (n=183) groups. The therapeutic goal (DBP