Effects on Plasma Lipids during Long Term Antihypertensive Treatment with Felodipine

Abstract

A total of 130 patients with mild to moderate hypertension were recruited to an open study and treated with the vascular selective calcium antagonist felodipine (10 to 40mg once daily) for 1 year. For patients completing the study, median lipid concentrations (mmol/L) at baseline were: total cholesterol 6.50, triglycerides 1.44, low density lipoprotein (LDL) 4.20, and high density lipoprotein (HDL) 1.40. Plasma concentrations of total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL were essentially unchanged during the study, while there was a statistically significant increase in HDL concentration which reflected in a significant decrease in the LDL/HDL ratio; these changes were about 5% in magnitude. Blood pressure was well controlled during treatment and adverse effects were principally related to vasodilation. In total 13 patients were withdrawn during the study, 10 of these due to adverse events. In conclusion, long term antihypertensive treatment with felodipine does not adversely affect plasma lipids. In fact, there was a slight increase in HDL, indicating a possible favourable action.