Lacidipine is a calcium channel blocker. It is available as tablets containing 2 or 4 mg.
lipophilic dihydropyridine calcium antagonist with an intrinsically slow onset of activity, resulting in a lack of reflex tachycardia. It has a long duration of action and a high degree of vascular selectivity. In addition to calcium channel-modulated vasodilation, lacidipine displays antioxidant activity greater than that of other dihydropyridine calcium antagonists. In randomised, well-controlled trials, lacidipine 2-6 mg orally once daily had antihypertensive efficacy similar to that of other long-acting dihydropyridine calcium antagonists, thiazide diuretics, atenolol (a beta-blocker) and enalapril (an ACE inhibitor). Lacidipine was effective in elderly patients (including those with isolated systolic hypertension), African Nigerian patients and patients with concurrent type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Lacidipine is an effective, well tolerated, once-daily, oral antihypertensive agent that can be used in a wide variety of patients. As with other members of its class, lacidipine has shown potentially beneficial antiatherosclerotic effects, although definitive data with respect to possible superiority over other drug classes are still required. Therefore, lacidipine is an attractive therapy for the long-term management of essential hypertension.
from:Natural standard substance
