Metabolic effects of nitrendipine.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted to evaluate the safety and clinical efficacy of nitrendipine in the treatment of isolated systolic hypertension in elderly patients. The subjects were 20 elderly patients with isolated systolic hypertension who received 20 mg of nitrendipine or placebo daily for 60 days. In the nitrendipine-treated patients, both systolic and diastolic blood pressures were reduced significantly during treatment (from a mean of 180 to 155 mmHg and 92 to 80 mmHg); heart rate did not change significantly. Standard laboratory test results did not change in either group during treatment and results of a posttreatment oral glucose tolerance test were similar in the two treatment groups.