Beneficial Effect of Efonidipine, an L- and T-Type Dual Calcium Channel Blocker, on Heart Rate and Blood Pressure in Patients With Mild-to-Moderate Essential Hypertension

• Published in: Korean circulation journal 2010, 40(10), , pp.514-519
• Main Authors: Oh, Il-Young, Seo, Myung-Ki, Lee, Hae-Young, Kim, Soon Gil, Kim, Ki-Sik, Kim, Won-Ho, Hyon, Min Soo, Han, Kyoo-Rok, Lim, Se-Joong, Kim, Cheol-Ho
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Original; 내과학
• ISSN: 1738-5520; 1738-5555
• DOI: 10.4070/kcj.2010.40.10.514

Efonidipine hydrochloride, an L- and T-type dual calcium channel blocker, is suggested to have a heart rate (HR)-slowing action in addition to a blood pressure (BP)-lowering effect. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of efonidipine on HR and BP in patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension. In a multi-center, prospective, open-labeled, single-armed study, we enrolled 53 patients who had mild-to-moderate hypertension {sitting diastolic BP (SiDBP) 90-110 mmHg}. After a 2-week washout, eligible patients were treated with efonidipine (40 mg once daily for 12 weeks). The primary end point was the change in HR from baseline to week 12. The secondary end-point included the change in trough sitting BP and 24-hour mean BP between baseline and week 12. Laboratory and clinical adverse events were monitored at each study visit (4, 8, and 12 weeks). Fifty-two patients were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. After 12 weeks of treatment with efonidipine, the resting HR decreased significantly from baseline to week 12 {from 81.5±5.3 to 71.8±9.9 beats/minute (difference, -9.9±9.0 beats/minute), p