Sustained Release Verapamil In Hypertensive Patients

Abstract

Introduction:
Calcium channel blockers are used now in ous important therapeutic implications. These dgs are found effective in the management of ischaemjc heart disease, peripheral vascular dise se, hypertension, supraventricular arrhythmias and other non cardiovascular conditions. Calcium ant tlgonists are now in use for the treatment of hypert ension widely. These drugs cause fall in blood pressure in hypertensive patients not only at rest it also during physical activity.

Patients and Method:
Thirty patients (22 females and 8 males) with mild to moderate essential hypertension were put on sustained release Verapamil 240 mg once a day for three weeks. All the patients were taking ant ihypertensive drugs to which they were either not responding or were not tolerating the side effects of the drug. Antihypertensive drugs were stopped at least one week before starting treatment with sustained release Verapamil. Blood pressure was measured %with the same mercury sphygnomanometer, by the same observer, both in supine (10 minutes after rest) and standing (2 minutes after standing) position at the same time of the day. Phase I and phase V of Kortokoff sounds were taken as systolic and disastolic pressure.

Results:
Mean Supine systolic pressure before treatment was 164±2.33 mmHg and after treatment of three weeks with Verapamil SR it decreased to 140±6.5 mmHg while supine diastolic pressure before treatm ent was 107.33±1.14 mmHg and after three weeks it was decreased to 91±4.2 mmHg. Mean standing systolic pressure dropped from 163.6±4.1 mmHgto 147.5±4.04 mmllg and mean diastolic pressure decreased from 110±1.7 mmHg to 97.3±2.1 mmHg. In 40% patients supine systolic pressure was  140 mmHg while in 72% patients it was  150 mmHg after three weeks treatment. In 32% patients supine diastolic pressure was  90 mmHg and was  95 mmHg in 48% of the patients.

Discussion:
This study done to evaluate the effect of Vera pamil SR. shows that patients with mild to moder ate hypertension has a decrease in their b1ood pressure both in Supine and standing position btit slowly during three weeks time. Verapamil SR for a short period of time has been found effective ui hypertensive patients by others also.