New Generation Calcium Channel Blockers in Hypertensive Treatment.

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Ozawa Y, Hayashi K, Kobori H

New Generation Calcium Channel Blockers in Hypertensive Treatment.

Curr Hypertens Rev. 2006 May 1;2(2):103-111. doi: 10.2174/157340206776877370.

PubMed ID

19823601 [ View in PubMed

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Abstract

During a couple of decades, a number of antihypertensive drugs have been developed, and the choice of hypertension treatment has been expanded. Among antihypertensive drugs, calcium channel blockers, which inhibit L-type voltage-gated calcium channels, are potent vasodilators, and have been used as a first- or second-line drug. Dihydropyridine-class calcium channel blockers are categorized into three generations according to the length of activity, and long-acting calcium channel blockers cause less activation of sympathetic nervous system, and are reported to offer beneficial action compared with short-action agents. Furthermore, novel types of calcium channel blockers have been developed that possess the blocking action on other calcium channel subtypes (T- and N-type), and exert agent-specific action apart from their class effects, such as the effects on heart rate and renin/aldosterone release. These additional benefits conferred by T/N-type calcium channel blockade are anticipated to provide organ protective actions in the treatment of hypertension, in addition to the blood pressure-lowering effect of L-type calcium channel blockade. In conclusion, novel calcium channel blockers with sustained activity and T/N-type calcium channel blocking action could provide more beneficial effects than classical blockers, and may expand the clinical utility of these agents.

DrugBank Data that Cites this Article

Drug Targets

Drug	Target	Kind	Organism	Pharmacological Action	Actions
Amlodipine	Voltage-dependent T-type calcium channel subunit alpha-1I	Protein	Humans	Yes	Inhibitor	Details