Effects of lacidipine and nifedipine on lower limb veins in nonphlebopathic patients.

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of lacidipine and nifedipine on lower limb veins. Forty hypertensive patients, aged 30-50 years, with no deep venous thrombosis, venous insufficiency, or hypothyroidism underwent double-blind treatment with placebo (1 week), lacidipine 4 mg once daily (1 week), and slow-release nifedipine 20 mg twice daily (1 week) in randomized sequence. Echo-color Doppler examination of superficial, deep, communicating, and perforating veins of the legs was performed. The results showed venous insufficiency and hypertension after 1-week administration of lacidipine (5 and 15%, respectively) and nifedipine (10 and 25%, respectively) and only two cases (5%) of venous hypertension during placebo administration. Lower limb edema was observed in two patients (5%) during treatment with nifedipine slow-release (SR). The hemodynamic effects of lacidipine and nifedipine were reversible but may contribute to the mechanism of lower limb edema.