Nicardipine versus nifedipine: multicentre controlled trial in essential hypertension.

Ninety-five hypertensive outpatients of both sexes, aged 23 to 65 years with diastolic blood pressures above 105 but below 120 mmHg (greater than 14.0 but less than 16.0 kPa), after one week on a placebo were randomly assigned either to nicardipine plus a placebo (40 mg/day - 48 patients) or nifedipine sustained-release plus a placebo (20 mg/day - 47 patients) for an additional six weeks.