F. Portaluppi et al., TIME-DEPENDENT EFFECT OF ISRADIPINE ON THE NOCTURNAL HYPERTENSION IN CHRONIC-RENAL-FAILURE, American journal of hypertension, 8(7), 1995, pp. 719-726
Nocturnal hypertension is frequently observed in chronic renal failure
and contributes to the risk of target organ damages. We assessed whet
her antihypertensive therapy may restore a nocturnal blood pressure (B
P) fall in this condition. A sustained-release oral formulation (SRO)
of isradipine was used, and the possible differences in the response t
o morning v evening dosing were also investigated. Sixteen hypertensiv
e patients with chronic renal failure due to parenchymal kidney diseas
e were studied after 2 weeks of single-blind placebo run-in. According
to the double-blind, randomized, cross-over design, they received 5 m
g isradipine SRO at 08:00, or at 20:00 for 4 weeks, separated by a sin
gle-blind placebo period of 2 weeks. A 24-h BP monitoring at 10-min in
tervals was carried out at the end of each treatment using a SpaceLabs
90207 instrument. Under placebo, blunt BP profiles were observed, whe
reas HR showed a mean nocturnal fall of 17.4%, which remained unaltere
d after isradipine. Both isradipine treatments were equally effective
in reducing the mean 24-h BP levels. However, the evening regimen show
ed a more pronounced effect during the night. The mean nocturnal fall
in systolic/diastolic BP represented 4.8/ 8.7% and 7.5/10.9% of the co
rresponding daytime mean after morning and evening dosing, respectivel
y. Only the evening administration reset the normal synchronization of
the 24-h BP and HR profiles. Our findings demonstrate that antihypert
ensive treatment may restore a nocturnal BP fall in renal patients. An
evening regimen of isradipine SRO seems more apt than a morning regim
en to obtain this therapeutic goal.