• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.267-273
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• 2002

Background: We performed a phase IV clinical trial to examine the usefulness of a continuous infusion of nicardipine hydrochloride to control hypertension in patients with acute aortic dissection. material and Method: Systolic/diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate were monitored before and after the intravenous administration of nicardipine in 31 patients with aortic diseases. The period of nicardipine administration in each patient was from 3 to 14 days. Efficacy was evaluated by determining the average amount of blood pressure reduction on the 3rd day of drug administration. The dosage of another antihypertensive agent was slowly tapered down, and ultimately replaced by the test drug. Result: 28 patients were diagnosed as acute aortic dissection, 2 patients as rupture of the aortic arch aneurysm, and 1 patient as traumatic aortic rupture. Mean age was 53.9 $\pm$ 14.9(29~89) years, and 21 patients(67.7%) were male. 14 patients(32.3%) had complications associated with underlying aortic disease: aortic insufficiency in 7, hemopericardium in 6, acute renal failure in 1, paraplegia in 1, lower extremity ischemia in 1, and hemothorax in 1. The time needed to reach the target blood pressure was within 15 minutes in 16, from 15 to 30 minutes in 10, from 30 to 45 minutes in 3 and from 45 to 60 minutes in 2, and their baseline average systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial blood pressures(mmHg) were 147$\pm$23, 82.3$\pm$ 18.6, and 104 $\pm$ 18, respectively. Average systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial blood pressures(mmHg) on the third day of nicardipine infusion were 119$\pm$ 12, 69$\pm$9, and 86$\pm$8, and they all showed statistically significant decrease(p<0.05). The average systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial blood pressure(mmHg) after the discontinuation of the nicardipine infusion were 119 $\pm$ 15, 71 $\pm$ 14, and 86$\pm$ 13, respectively. No significant difference was observed between the average pressures measured on the third day and those measured after the discontinuation of the nicardipine infusion, and no definite side effects were observed during the study period. Conclusion: Nicardipine hydrochloride was both effective and safe at controlling blood pressure in patients with acute aortic dissection.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.461-465
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• 2005

A simple HPLC method with ultraviolet detection of nicardipine in human plasma was developed and validated. After drug extraction with solid phase extraction (SPE) method, chromatographic separation of nicardipine in plasma was achieved at $30^{\circ}C$ with a $C_{18}$ column and acetonitrile-0.02% phosphate buffer mixture (with 0.02% triethylamine, final pH 7.0), as mobile phase. Quantitative determination was performed by ultraviolet detection at 254 nm. The method was specific and validated with a limit of quantification of 5 ng/mL. The intra- and inter-day precision and accuracy were acceptable for all quality control samples including the lower limit of quantification. The applicability of the method was demonstrated by analysis of plasma after oral administration of a single 40 mg dose to 8 healthy subjects. From the plasma nicardipine concentration versus time curves, the mean $AUC_{t}$, was $134.04{\pm}59.72\;ng\;hr/mL$ and $C_{max}$ of $108.65{\pm}69.17\;ng/mL$ reached 1.5 hr after administration. The mean biological half-life of nicardipine was $3.93{\pm}0.82\;hr$. Based on the results, this simple and validated assay method could readily be used in any pharmacokinetic or bioequivalence studies using human.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.133-137
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• 1992

A novel oral controlled release tablet which may offer more uniform drug level in the body than simple zero-order was developed. The tablet is composed of three layers; outer film layer, middle part compression-coated hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) matrix layer, and inner core layer. Each layer contains nicardipine HCl as a model drug. In vitro dissolution test showed that the tablet released the drug in clear three steps; a rapid initial release, followed by a constant rate of release, and then a second phase of fast release of drug. The dissolution characteristics could be modified easily by changing the grade of HPMC, thickness of matrix layer, content of methylcellulose in matrix layer, content of active ingredient in each layer. The pH of dissolution medium did not affect the release profile. This three-step release system is expected to raise the blood concentration rapidly to effective level and to maintain effective blood level longer than simple slow-release systems.