Patient characteristics are presented in Table 2. Mean age of subjects was 67.2 years (range 25 to 93 years; median 68 years). Mean duration of hypertension was 4.2 years (range 2 to 9 years; median 3.9 years). Most patients were followed by just one physician (mean number of physicians 1.69): 160 (87.4%) by staff physicians [...]
Nifedipine, verapamil, and diltiazem lower the level of free calcium within vascular smooth muscle cells by blocking the entry of calcium from the extracellular fluid, thereby reducing vascular tone and systemic vascular resistance. The effect on heart rate is variable. Nifedipine is the most potent hypertensive agent, diltiazem the weakest; the effect of verapamil lies [...]
