Clevidipine in the Treatment of Patients With Acute Hypertension and Intracerebral Hemorrhage (ACCELERATE)

This was a multicenter, single-arm, non-blinded dose titration efficacy and safety trial evaluating the ability of clevidipine, a vascular-selective L-type calcium channel antagonist, to rapidly control acute hypertension in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage. Informed consent was obtained from patients meeting the inclusion criteria before the initiation of any study-specific procedures. At screening, a clinical and neurological examination was carried out. For the purposes of this study, acute hypertension was defined as SBP \>160 mmHg immediately prior to initiation of study drug. Approximately 30 to 40 patients with acute intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) were planned to be enrolled with approximately 10 patients requiring monitoring of intracranial pressure (ICP). Infusion of study drug was initiated within 12 hours of ICH symptom onset. All eligible patients enrolled received clevidipine in an open label manner. Clevidipine was to be infused at an initial rate of 2.0 mg/h for the first 1.5 minutes. Thereafter, titration to higher infusion rates were to be attempted as needed, to obtain the target SBP range (SBP ≤160 mmHg to ≥140 mmHg). Titration to effect was to proceed by doubling the dose every 1.5 minutes, up to a maximum of 32.0 mg/h, until the desired effect (SBP within the target range) was attained. During the first 30 minutes, if the desired blood pressure lowering effect was not attained or maintained, an alternative intravenous (IV) antihypertensive agent(s), advised to be a different class other than calcium channel blockers, could be used with or without stopping the clevidipine infusion. The clevidipine infusion could continue for up to a maximum of 96 hours. Twenty-four hour follow-up computerized tomography (CT) scan results were recorded, including measurement of intracerebral hematoma volumes. Assessment of safety was performed throughout the treatment period and until 6 hours after termination of study drug. Patients were followed for 7 days following termination of the clevidipine infusion.