Smooth blood pressure control obtained with extended-release felodipine in elderly patients with hypertension: evaluation by 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.

Objective: To assess, by smoothness index (SI), distribution of the antihypertensive effect of extended-release (ER) felodipine over 24 hours in elderly patients with hypertension.

Methods: After a 4-week washout phase, 35 elderly patients (mean age 69 +/- 4 years) with mild-to-moderate hypertension received 2 weeks' treatment with ER felodipine 5mg once daily. The dosage of ER felodipine was doubled to 10 mg/day and given for a further 2 weeks in non-responders (sitting clinic blood pressure > 140/90mm Hg).