EFFECTS OF AMLODIPINE ON 24-HOUR AMBULATORY BLOOD-PRESSURE PROFILES, ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC MONITORING, AND LEFT-VENTRICULAR MASS AND FUNCTION IN BLACK PATIENTS WITH VERY SEVERE HYPERTENSION

In a 3-month, open-label study, 54 consecutive black patients with very severe hypertension were treated with amlodipine. Very severe hypertension was defined as an average sitting diastolic blood pressure (BP) greater than or equal to 115 mmHg and less than or equal to 140 mmHg as a mean of 10 readings over a 30-minute period using an automatic BP measuring device and a mean 24-hour diastolic ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) greater than or equal to 110 mmHg and less than or equal to 140 mmHg). Serial changes in 24-hour ABP and electrocardiographic monitoring, left ventricular (LV) mass index, and LV systolic function were evaluated. Mean 24-hour ABP was reduced from 181 +/- 14/119 +/- 6 to 140 +/- 15/92 +/- 9 mmHg at 3 months (P < 0.0001). Target BP (mean 24-hour diastolic ABP <90 mmHg) was achieved in 35% of the patients. The reduction in BP was sustained for 24 hours after drug administration. Simultaneous BP measurements using the automatic BP measuring device were significantly different from the ABP measurements before and after treatment, suggesting a marked ''white coat'' presser effect. At baseline, frequent or complex ventricular arrhythmias (>30 ventricular extrasystoles per hour, ventricular couplets) were present in 2 (4%) patients, with no significant change after treatment. Left ventricular mass index regressed from 140 +/- 50 to 111 +/- 30 g/m(2) at 3 months (P < 0.03); LV performance was not adversely affected, Adverse effects were few and tended to disappear during the treatment period. All of the clinical laboratory parameters tested remained unchanged. In this group of patients, treatment with amlodipine showed a marked and sustained antihypertensive action as demonstrated by 24-hour ABP monitoring, and was well tolerated and associated with LV mass regression without adverse effect on systolic cardiac function, Further, a low rate of complex ventricular arrhythmias was documented.