A clinical study on the hypertensive effect of nicardipine was performed in 36 patients with essential hypertension. Nicardipine was administered 60mg a day in three divided doses for at least 8 weeks. At the end of the 8th week of treatment the systolic blood pressure was lowered by 30 mmHg or more in 56.6%, 29 to 20 mmHg in 21.7%, and the diastolic pressure was lowered by 15 mmHg or more in 52.3%, 14 to 10 mmHg in 21.7%, In 7 cases untoward effects were observed, 3 facial flushing, 2 constipation, 2 mild headache, 2 nausea and one fatigue, which were subsided spontaneously during the continuation of the therapy and one with facial flushing became free of symptom after the discontinuation of the drug.