Intravenous Nicardipine for the Treatment of Severe Hypertension

Short-term treatment of severe hypertension of pregnancy: prospective comparison of nicardipine and labetalol

“…Nicardipine, another calcium-entry blocker, has many advantages over nifedipine since it acts more selectively on the blood vessels than on the myocardium, has a less negative inotropic effect, and produces less reflex tachycardia [9]. Nevertheless, experience with intravenous nicardipine in preeclampsia is limited, mainly because animal experiments suggest that the hemodynamic effects of nicardipine is responsible for severe fetal acidosis and fetal death [10,11,12].…”

“…Nicardipine, a dihydropyridine-derivative calcium channel blocker is also a potent antihypertensive drug [9]. Nicardipine has a less negative inotropic effect than other calcium-entry blockers and evokes less reflex tachycardia because of its more selective effects on blood vessels than on the myocardium [9].…”

“…Nicardipine has a less negative inotropic effect than other calcium-entry blockers and evokes less reflex tachycardia because of its more selective effects on blood vessels than on the myocardium [9]. Experience with nicardipine in severe hypertension of pregnancy has so far been limited by the observed risks of fetal acidosis and death in animal studies [10,11,12].…”

Calcium channel blockers: pharmacology and place in therapy of pediatric hypertension

“…Nicardipine has been shown to be an effective antihypertensive agent in numerous studies in adults, comparing favorably to nitroprusside [120,121]. Several reports have now appeared regarding the use of intravenous nicardipine in children with severe hypertension [122][123][124][125].…”

Intravenous use of the calcium-channel blocker nicardipine as second-line treatment in severe, early-onset pre-eclamptic patients

“…This leads to a lower concentration of calcium in the cell and thereby diminishes contraction of the vascular smooth muscle cells. The drug has been licensed for use in acute severe hypertension and postoperative hypertension during the first 24 h following surgery, and it has shown a fast and potent lowering of the blood pressure after intravenous administration [7]. In comparison with nifedipine, nicardipine acts more selectively on blood vessels than on myocardial tissue, resulting in less reflex tachycardia [7].…”