Lacidipine in the treatment of hypertension in black African people: Antihypertensive, biochemical and haematological effects

This is an open trial investigating the efficacy and metabolic effects of 3 months' treatment with lacidipine in 25 Nigerian Africans with mild to mod erate hypertension. There was a significant fall in sitting diastolic blood pressure, with treatment (p = 0.01). There were Mo significant weight chan ges. The heart rate initially rose significantly with the drug but this nor malised with time. All biochemical and haematological indices remained esse ntially unchanged during therapy. Lacidipine therefore proved an efficaciou s and metabolically neutral antihypertensive in mild to moderate hypertensi on in Africa.