Glucoregulatory hormone response to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia following long-term calcium antagonism with felodipine in patients with essential hypertension

Abstract

The effect of 8 weeks' treatment with the dihydropyridine calcium antagonist felodipine on glucoregulatory hormone response following insulin\x=req-\ induced hypoglycaemia was evaluated in 7 patients with essential hypertension, WHO grade I\p=n-\II.After an iv insulin injection (0.1 IU/kg), blood glucose decrement and nadir were similar before and during felodipine treatment. Basal glucagon, noradrenaline, adrenaline, GH and cortisol levels were unchanged, and the response to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia was similar before and during felodipine treatment. Basal plasma dopamine levels were similar and did not change during insulin-induced hypoglycaemia before and during felodipine treatment. Basal serum levels of TSH, T3 and T4 were unaltered following felodipine. In conclusion, long-term treatment with felodipine did not alter the hypoglycaemic effect of exogenous insulin, or the recovery from hypoglycaemia or the glucoregulatory hormone response to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia in patients with essential hypertension.

Tolerability and Safety of Felodipine

“…I I , No. I , 1993 no significant effect was found on concentrations of insulin, glucagon, cortisol, growth hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone, thyroxin, testosterone, or luteinizing hormone (3 1, 60,63,101).…”

Thyroid Status and Hepatic Thyroxine Deiodinating Activity under High‐Dose Long‐Term Nitrendipine

“…Previous investigations with several dihydropyridines failed to show any effect on iodothyronines in serum (Zofkova et al 1983;Lalau et al 1987;Katzman et al 1987). In these studies, however, much lower doses were employed.…”

“…Verapamil is considered to have an inhibitory influence on pituitary secretion of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) both in vivo and in vitro (Eto et al 1974;Barbarino & De Marinis 1980;Geras et al 1982;De Marinis et al 1987). However, the role of dihydropyridine-type calcium antagonists concerning serum TSH is controversial (Struthers et al 1983;Teba et al 1985;Haitas et al 1986;Yamada et al 1986), whereas agreement exists on the lacking influence of dihydropyridines on thyroid hormones in serum (Zofkova et al 1983;Yamada et al 1986;Lalau et al 1987;Katzman et al 1987).…”