clevidipine (Cleviprex)

Indications

• hypertension in hospitalized patients

Contraindications

• allergy to eggs or soy (contains these)

Dosage

• start 1-2 mg/hr IV infusion
• titrate to effect, generally 4-6 mg/hr
• maximum dose: 200 g or 1000 mL/24 hours

Injection:

• lipid emulsion supplied in 50 mL & 100 mL glass vials containing 25 mg & 50 mg clevidipine, respectively (0.5 mg per mL)

Dosage adjustment in renal failure

none

Pharmacokinetics

• duration of action: 15 minutes

Adverse effects

• not associated with bronchospasm or bradycardia

• drug adverse effects of calcium channel blockers
• drug adverse effects of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors (RAAS inhibitors)
• drug adverse effects of antihypertensive agents

Mechanism of action

• blocks Ca+2 entry into arterial smooth muscle cells during depolarization
• diminishes systemic vascular resistance & mean arterial pressure

Notes

• cost $180 per 25 mg vial (2008)
• lipid emulsion: contains about 2 Kcal/mL

More general terms

• calcium channel blocker (CCB)
• dihydropyridine

Database

• PubChem: http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=153994
• PubChem: http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=193993