[Effect of verapamil on urinary calcium and oxalate excretion in renal stone formers]

Abstract

The effect of the calcium antagonist verapamil on urinary calcium and oxalate excretion was examined and compared with that of trichlormethiazide to evaluate whether verapamil is useful in the prevention of calcium oxalate renal stones. Twenty-four-hour urine of 16 renal stone formers was measured at the outpatient clinic before and after administration of 120 mg/day verapamil for a mean duration of 2.7 months (range, 2 weeks to 6 months). The 24-hour urine was analyzed for creatinine, calcium, oxalic acid, magnesium and citric acid and the results compared with those in 20 renal stone formers who were administered trichlormethiazide. Verapamil was found to significantly reduce the urinary oxalate excretion of the 5 hyperoxaluric (> or = 50 mg/day) patients but no significant effect on urinary calcium, magnesium or citric acid was observed. Conversely, trichlormethiazide significantly decreased urinary calcium excretion in the hypercalciuric (> or = 250 mg/day) patients. Calcium oxalate risk index of hypercalciuric and hyperoxaluric patients was significantly reduced after the administration of verapamil. These findings suggest that verapamil is effective in reducing urinary oxalate excretion in the hyperoxaluric patients.