THE EFFECTS OF NONSTEROIDAL ANTIINFLAMMATORY DRUGS ON BLOOD PRESSURES OF PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION CONTROLLED BY VERAPAMIL

Background: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may attenuate the antihypertensive effects of diuretics, beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, central alpha-agonists, and other vasodilators. Their effects on the antihypertensive efficacy of calcium channel blockers are inadequately studied in small numbers of patients but appear to be minimal. Methods: A three-phase, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter study included 162 patients aged 18 to 75 years with essential hypertension. After diastolic blood pressure was controlled to 90 mm Hg or less with once-daily verapamil hydrochloride, patients received ibuprofen, naproxen, or placebo matching capsules for 3 weeks, and blood pressure, heart rate, weight, and adverse effects were evaluated. A general linear model with 95% confidence intervals was used to compare each nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug treatment group with the placebo group. Results: No significant differences in sitting, standing, or supine blood pressure were noted with naproxen or ibuprofen compared with placebo. The percentages of patients in each treatment group with increases of 10 mm Hg or more in either systolic or diastolic blood pressure were similar. Statistically significant increases in weight were seen with both nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug therapies. Changes in pulse rate were not significant. The incidence of adverse effects was similar across all three treatment groups. Conclusions: The addition of naproxen or ibuprofen to the treatment of hypertensive patients in whom blood pressure is controlled by once-daily verapamil does not cause an increase in blood pressure. Verapamil may therefore offer considerable advantages in maintaining control of blood pressure in patients who regularly receive nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug therapy.