Nifedipine in the Treatment of Hypertension in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Treatment of hypertension in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may be complicated by unwanted immunologic vascular and renal side effects of drugs. The safety of long-acting nifedipine tablets was studied in 8 SLE hypertensive subjects for six months. Nifedipine reduced blood pressure from a mean 151.9 ±10/103.7 ± 8.6 mmHg to a mean of 130±14.1/87.5 ± 5 mmHg. There was no deterioration of renal function or of hematologic or immunologic indices during that period. We believe nifedipine is a safe and effective hypotensive drug in SLE, either alone or combined with beta blockers and diuretics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]