Abstract
Treatment with antihypertensive drugs improves prognosis in patients with hypertension. The single-blind STONE (Shanghai Trial of Nifedipine in the Elderly) study conducted in elderly Chinese patients with hypertension proved that treatment with a Ca2+ channel antagonist led to improvement of prognosis. Compared with placebo, treatment with twice-daily nifedipine significantly decreased the relative risk of cardiovascular events, especially stroke. The randomised, double-blind INSIGHT (International Nifedipine GITS study: Intervention as a Goal in Hypertension Treatment) study compared nifedipine GITS with the diuretic combination of amiloride plus hydrochlorothiazide (co-amilozide) in hypertensive patients. The investigators found a similar cardiovascular event rate with nifedipine GITS and co-amilozide, but nifedipine prevented new-onset of diabetes and hyperlipidaemia. Besides, inhibition of carotid artery thickening and slowing of coronary artery calcification was also confirmed with nifedipine GITS in a side-arm study of the INSIGHT study. From these data it is evident that treatment with long-acting nifedipine improves prognosis in patients with hypertension.
