THE EFFECT OF NILVADIPINE ON BLOODFLOW IN THE DORSAL PEDIS ARTERY IN TYPE-2 DIABETIC-PATIENTS - A STUDY USING DUPLEX-DOPPLER ULTRASONOGRAPHY

The effects of nilvadipine on the peripheral circulation in the lower extremities using a duplex system of two-dimensional colour and pulse Doppler ultrasonography were studied in 32 patients with type 2 diabet es mellitus and mild essential hypertension. The patients (19 men and 13 women) were randomly divided into treatment and control groups. The anatomical cross-sectional area and blood flow index of the dorsal pe dis artery were determined by colour and pulse Doppler ultrasonography before and 60 min after administration of 4 mg nilvadipine or placebo . Pulse rate and blood pressure were measured simultaneously. There we re no significant changes in pulse rate or blood pressure after admini stration of either drug. Both cross-sectional areas (from 4.3 +/- 0.4 to 5.2 +/- 0.5 mm(2), p < 0.05) and blood flow index (from 40.3 +/- 4. 3 to 58.8 +/- 9.0, p < 0.05) were significantly increased in the treat ment group, whereas there were no significant changes in either measur ement in the control group. The findings showed that a single administ ration of nilvadipine increases blood flow in the dorsal pedis arterie s of diabetic patients.