Abstract

FLORES GONZALEZ, Julia et al. Clonidina y nifedipina oral en el tratamiento de la urgencia hipertensiva. Rev cubana med [online]. 1996, vol.35, n.3, pp. 156-163. ISSN 1561-302X.

A study was designed to evaluate the introduction of clonidine for the therapy of hypertensive emergencies in our country, in a double-blind study with the use of nifedipine as control drug. A number of 60 patients were randomly treated with a dose of 0.15 mg of clonidine or 10 mg of nifedipine by oral route in a prospective assay. There were no statistically significant differences between both groups regarding age, sex and baseline diastolic blood pressure. A good response was obtained after an observational period of 3 hours in 96.6 % of patients treated with clonidine, and in 90.0 % of cases treated with nifedipine. The diastolic pressure gain at 120 minutes was 27.6 mm Hg (nifedipine) and of 31.3 mm Hg (clonidine). The pulse rate decreased with the time in both groups. No statistically significant influence was observed with respect to the variables such as the number of doses received, type of drug or reduction of blood pressure on the reduction of the radial pulse, although it was greater (P = 0.06) with the use of clonidine. The sedative effects of the alpha agonist, however bling common, were not relevant from the clinical point of view.

Keywords : NIFEDIPINE [therapeutic use]; CLONIDINE [therapeutic use]; HYPERTENSION [drug therapy]; CLINICAL TRIALS; BLOOD PRESSURE [drug effects]; HEART RATE [drug effects].