MILD ARTERIAL-HYPERTENSION AND IMPAIRED GLUCOSE-TOLERANCE - SHORT-TERM EFFECTS OF MANIDIPINE HYDROCHLORIDE

To investigate the antihypertensive action of manidipine and its effec ts on metabolic parameters, 15 individuals (8 men, 7 women; mean age, 54 +/- 7 years) with mild essential hypertension and impaired glucose tolerance were enrolled in a short-term study. After a 2-week washout followed by a 2-week placebo run-in period (baseline), all patients we re given manidipine 10 mg/d for 4 weeks. Drug effects on blood pressur e (BP) were assessed either by casual measurements taken every 2 weeks , or by 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring, performed at baseline and af ter 4 weeks. An oral glucose tolerance test was conducted at baseline to identify individuals with impaired glucose tolerance; laboratory te sts were performed before and after drug treatment. No changes in fast ing blood glucose, total and HDL cholesterol, or triglycerides were ob served after treatment. Both casual systolic (P < .003) and diastolic (P < .001) BP were significantly reduced after treatment. Twenty-four- hour BP monitoring showed significant reductions in systolic (P < .001 ) and diastolic (P < .001) BP, with decreases more evident during the daytime. Incidence of abnormal 24-hour measurements of systolic and di astolic BP decreased significantly after 4 weeks of treatment. Heart r ate was not affected by manidipine treatment. The drug was well tolera ted, with a low incidence of side effects and no changes in laboratory parameters. Manidipine may be considered a safe and effective first-l ine drug for the treatment of mild hypertension in individuals with im paired glucose tolerance.