1. Academic Validation
  2. Circulatory effects and pharmacology of clevidipine, a novel ultra short acting and vascular selective calcium antagonist, in hypertensive humans

Circulatory effects and pharmacology of clevidipine, a novel ultra short acting and vascular selective calcium antagonist, in hypertensive humans

  • J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 1999 Aug;34(2):268-74. doi: 10.1097/00005344-199908000-00013.
J H Schwieler 1 H Ericsson P Löfdahl T Thulin T Kahan
Affiliations

Affiliation

  • 1 Division of Internal Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Danderyd Hospital, Sweden. jonas.schwieler@med.ds.sll.se
Abstract

The pharmacokinetics of clevidipine, a potent short-acting vascular-selective calcium antagonist, was investigated during steady state and the postinfusion period in patients with mild to moderate hypertension. Furthermore, the dose-effect and blood concentration-effect relations and the tolerability of the drug were studied. Twenty patients were randomized to clevidipine intravenously at target dose rates of 0.18, 0.91, 2.74, and 5.48 microg/kg/min, respectively, or placebo. Each patient received in random order three infusion rates of clevidipine or placebo during three separate study days. Dose-dependent reduction in blood pressure and a modest increase in heart rate were noted. The extremely high clearance value and the small volume of distribution resulted in short half-lives of clevidipine, 2.2 and 16.8 min, respectively. The blood concentration and dose rate producing half the maximal effect (i.e. EC50 and ED50) were approximately 25 nM and 1.5 microg/kg/min, respectively. There was a linear relation between blood concentration and dose rate in the range studied. Clevidipine was safe and generally well tolerated; one patient was excluded because of adverse events at 2.74 microg/kg/min. In conclusion, clevidipine is a high-clearance calcium antagonist that may become a valuable contribution to the drugs used in conditions in which precise and rapid control of blood pressure is needed.

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