TREATMENT OF MILD HYPERTENSION WITH LOW ONCE-DAILY DOSES OF A SUSTAINED-RELEASE CAPSULE FORMULATION OF VERAPAMIL

The efficacy and safety of a low dose (120 mg) of a sustained-release capsule formulation of verapamil administered once daily in the treatm ent of 42 patients with mild hypertension were assessed in this clinic al trial. After a 4-week placebo washout period (baseline), patients w ith diastolic clinic blood pressures of 91 to 100 mm Hg inclusive were treated for 4 weeks with once-daily verapamil sustained-release 120 m g capsules. Clinic blood pressure was measured and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was performed at the end of both the baselin e and the 4-week treatment periods. Twenty-four hour, day, and night s ystolic and diastolic ambulatory blood pressures were significantly (P < 0.01) reduced in the entire study population (24-hour, -5/-4 mm Hg; day, -6/-4 mm Hg; night, -4/-3 mm Hg). On the basis of mean daytime ( 6 AM to 6 PM) ambulatory diastolic blood pressure, patients were strat ified into subgroups of patients with confirmed (>85 mm Hg) and unconf irmed mild hypertension (less than or equal to 85 mm Hg). The magnitud e of the mean change in systolic and diastolic blood pressure was grea ter in the group of patients with confirmed mild hypertension than the group with unconfirmed hypertension. The incidence of adverse experie nces was low in frequency and events were of mild severity; quality of life scores improved (P = 0.02). Low daily doses (120 mg) of verapami l sustained-release capsules provide a well-tolerated and sustained an tihypertensive effect over 24 hours in patients with mild hypertension .