There are important variations in the outcomes of patients with atherothrombotic across geographic regions. These observations have important implications for public health and clinical research.

The efficacy and safety profiles of barnidipine in the treatment of hypertension were evaluated in an open parallel-group study. Fifty-nine Chinese patients with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension were randomized to receive either barnidipine or felodipine (5 mg once daily, titrated to 10 mg or 15 mg once daily, as indicated) for 12 weeks. Both drugs reduced blood pressures significantly with > or = 68% of cases obtaining marked or moderate blood pressure reduction. Mean reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure for barnidipine treatment were 23.7 +/- 13.5 mmHg and 12.7 +/- 7.9 mmHg, and for felodipine, 24.3 +/- 18.4 mmHg and 14.5 +/- 10.0 mmHg, respectively. There was no significant difference between these two drugs in anti-hypertensive effect, heart rate, laboratory measurements or incidence of adverse events. The only difference was that more patients taking felodipine experienced palpitations. We conclude that barnidipine has similar efficacy and a similar safety profile to felodipine in the treatment of mild-to-moderate essential hypertension in Chinese patients.