LONG-ACTING DILTIAZEM CD IS SAFE AND EFFECTIVE IN A HYPERTENSIVE MEXICAN-AMERICAN POPULATION

Study Objective. To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of diltiazem CD for reducing blood pressure in Mexican-American patients with mild to moderate hypertension. Design. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-c ontrolled trial. Setting. Twelve clinical sites in the United States. Patients. Patients with baseline diastolic blood pressures between 95 and 115 mm Hg. Interventions. Patients were treated with an average da ily dose of diltiazem CD 246 mg (60 patients) or placebo (58 patients) to achieve a trough diastolic blood pressure below 90 mm Hg. Measurem ents and Main Results. Diltiazem CD significantly reduced mean diastol ic blood pressure compared with placebo, -8.2 versus -4.1 mm Hg, respe ctively (p=0.0025). Diastolic blood pressure below 90 mm Hg or a reduc tion of 10 mm Hg or more was achieved by 57% of diltiazem CD versus 28 % of placebo recipients. Systolic blood pressure and heart rate were a lso reduced with diltiazem CD. Adverse events were mild, with similar frequency for diltiazem CD (15%) and placebo (19%). Conclusion. Diltia zem CD is safe and effective in hypertensive Mexican-Americans, and di astolic blood pressure reductions compare with those in non-Hispanic w hite patients.