The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the blood pressure medication, aliskiren, in heart transplant patients. In terms of safety, the investigators will evaluate the blood levels of aliskiren and determine if aliskiren alters the blood levels of the anti-rejection medication, cyclosporine, in these patients. In terms of efficacy, the investigators will determine how well aliskiren lowers blood pressure in heart transplant patients.
Hypertension is a major complication following cardiac transplantation, with a prevalence of 93% at 5 years post-transplant. Post-cardiac transplant hypertension is due to multiple factors such as use of cyclosporine, chronic kidney disease, and denervation. Hypertension in this population is difficult to treat, and most patients require therapy with multiple antihypertensive agents in order to achieve adequate blood pressure control. Aliskiren, a direct renin inhibitor, is a novel antihypertensive agent with a unique mechanism of action and potent blood pressure-lowering effects. As such, aliskiren is an attractive treatment option for post-cardiac transplant hypertension. This study will characterize the pharmacokinetic drug-drug interaction profile, pharmacodynamics, and safety of aliskiren 75 mg daily (low-dose) and 150 mg daily, when given in combination with cyclosporine, in cardiac transplant patients.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
1
Aliskiren 75 mg once daily x 2 weeks, then aliskiren 150 mg once daily x 2 weeks, if blood pressure allows
University of Colorado Denver
Aurora, Colorado, United States
Dose-normalized Cyclosporine Area Under the Plasma Concentration-time Curve (AUC)
The study was stopped due to difficulty finding patients who met the strict inclusion criteria. Only one patient was started on the study drug. as a result we did not analyze any cyclosporine PK (e.g.(AUCs) for this study.
Time frame: 7 days, 14 days, 30 days (End of Study)
Aliskiren Plasma Concentrations
Maximum plasma concentration; area under the concentration-time curve, half-life, oral clearance The study was stopped due to difficulty finding patients who met the strict inclusion criteria. Only one patient was started on the study drug. as a result we did not analyze any PK (e.g.(AUCs) for this study.
Time frame: 2 weeks
Blood Pressure
The study was stopped due to difficulty finding patients who met the strict inclusion criteria. Only one patient was started on the study drug. as a result we did not analyze any blood pressure for this study.
Time frame: 2 weeks
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