Antihypertensive effects of repeated oral administration of cilnidipine, a novel calcium antagonist, in 2K1C renal hypertensive dogs

Antihypertensive effects of repeated oral administration of cilnidipine in 2K1C renal hypertensive dogs were compared with those of nicardipine. On the first day, oral administration of cilnidipine (3 mg/kg) or nicardipine (3 mg/kg) markedly lowered both systolic and diastolic blood pressure 1 hr after administration. The hypotensive effects of cilnidipine were longer compared with those of nicardipine. Both drugs elevated the heart rate and plasma renin activity. On the 8th and 15th days, similar responses were obtained by repeated administrations of cilnidipine and nicardipine. After withdrawal of these drugs, no rebound phenomena in blood pressure were observed. The changes in mean blood pressure were correlated with plasma cilnidipine or nicardipine concentrations that were obtained at each time of blood pressure measurement (r = -0.598; P < 0.001 and r = -0.594; P < 0.001, respectively). These results suggest that stable and long-acting antihypertensive effects of cilnidipine for 15 consecutive days in renal hypertensive dogs are related to the change in plasma drug concentrations.