In vitro effects of nicardipine on vascular and cardiac muscle preparations.

Nicardipine, a new 1,4-dihydropyridine derivative with Ca++-antagonist activity, was tested on rabbit aortic strips contracted with K+ and NA, and on an isolated guinea pig heart perfused at constant flow. It inhibited K+-contraction in the aortic strips and reduced coronary resistance with the same potency as nifedipine resulting about 10 time less potent than the latter in depressing the myocardial contractility. The effects of nicardipine appear to be related essentially to its Ca++-antagonist activity rather than to any antiphosphodiesterase activity.