Clevidipine butyrate: A promising new drug for the management of acute hypertension

Clevidipine butyrate is an ultrashort-acting intravenous dihydropyridine calcium-channel blocker that has been approved by the FDA for the reduction of blood pressure when oral therapy is not feasible. Hypertension is a global disease that affects more than 1 billion people worldwide and 75 million people in the USA. There are multiple agents available for the management of hypertension. The acute setting is where the challenge arises for developing new agents that not only decrease, but more importantly, optimally control blood pressure. Many drugs lower blood pressure; however, only a few have the capacity to precisely control hypertension in the acute phase. Clevidipine has unique pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties that enable the fast, safe and adequate reduction of blood pressure in hypertensive emergencies, with unique precision necessary to maintain the target blood pressure range. Its use in different clinical settings has been evaluated in several Phase I, II and III clinical studies. It is easily administered and titrated with minimal side effects, achieves fast control with low doses, is highly successful as monotherapy and allows excellent transition to oral medication. Thus, clevidipine is a promising new agent for the management of acute hypertension in a variety of clinical settings.