Long-Term Effects of Felodipine on Blood Pressure and Renal Hemodynamics in Severe Hypertension

Felodipine, a dihydropyridine calcium antagonist, was used to treat eight patients with severe uncontrolled hypertensionfive had essential hypertension, two had renovascular disease, and one chronic pyelonephritis. Mean blood pressure (BP) was 221 ± 14/120 ± 4 mm Hg despite treatment with three or more antihypertensive drugs. All patients experienced an immediate and pronounced lowering of BP after adding felodipine, which persisted during long-term treatment in combination with previous medication except for vasodilating drugs. In all cases, an increase in glomerular filtration rate (Cr-EDTA clearance) after 6 and 12 months of felodipine treatment was seen (59 ± 10 to 63 ± 7 and 70 ± 6 ml/min, respectively, p