BIOCHEMICAL-CHANGES DURING AMLODIPINE TREATMENT IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS

Twenty adult hypertensive patients mean age (52 (1.73) y) were treated with amlodipine 5 mg (8 patients) and 10 mg (12 patients) once daily for 12 weeks. There was a reduction in sitting and standing diastolic and systolic blood pressures in male and female patients. Plasma calci um, sodium, potassium, total proteins, albumin, globulins, phosphate, chloride, urea and haematological parameters were not significantly al tered by amlodipine therapy in any patient. An increase in creatinine level was noted, which was not related to kidney dysfunction. We concl ude that amlodipine 5 mg or 10 mg once daily is effective in male and female patients, and it does not alter biochemical and haematological values in hypertensive African patients.