Amlodipine Lowers Blood Pressure without Significant Effect on Cerebral Blood Flow in Hypertensive Patients with a History of Stroke: A Quantitative Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography Study

Appropriate antihypertensive therapy is important to prevent cerebrovascular disease. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of such therapy on cerebral blood flow in stroke patients. Twenty hypertensive patients with a history of ischemic stroke received amlodipine 2.5 or 5 mg daily for 12 weeks. Blood pressure and cerebral blood flow as measured by ¹³³Xe single photon emission computed tomography at baseline and were compared at 12 weeks. There were statistically significant reductions in both systolic (167.0 to 140.9 mm Hg) and diastolic (97.8 to 81.8 mm Hg) blood pressures after 12 weeks of amlodipine treatment. No statistically significant effect was observed on cerebral blood flow (46.7 to 46.9 ml/100g brain/min). A weak but statistically significant change was observed in cerebellar blood flow (44.1 to 46.9 ml/100g brain/min). We concluded that amlodipine reduces blood pressure without affecting cerebral blood flow in hypertensive patients with a history of ischemic stroke. Investigation about its effect on cerebellar blood flow is mandatory.