Clinical Use of Calcium Channel Antagonist Drugs

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xi

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2. Channel-Mediated Calcium Current in the Heart

   • William A. Coetzee

   Pages 1-27

3. Fundamental Properties: Mechanisms, Classification, Sites of Action

   • Lionel H. Opie, William A. Coetzee

   Pages 28-69

4. Use and Comparative Properties of the Three Prototypical Calcium Antagonists in Ischemic Heart Disease, Including Recommendations Based on an Analysis of 41 Trials

   • Lionel H. Opie, William A. Coetzee

   Pages 70-130

5. Use and Comparative Efficacy in Hypertension and Supraventricular Arrhythmias. Minor Indications

   • Lionel H. Opie, William A. Coetzee

   Pages 131-192

6. Side Effects and Contraindications Drug Interactions and Combinations

   • Lionel H. Opie, William A. Coetzee

   Pages 193-218

7. Second-Generation Agents

   • Lionel H. Opie, William A. Coetzee

   Pages 219-244

8. Clinical Pharmacokinetics of First and Second-Generation Agents

   • Lionel H. Opie, William A. Coetzee

   Pages 245-279

9. Summary Tables

   • Lionel H. Opie, William A. Coetzee

   Pages 280-291

10. Epilogue. Where Do We Go from Here?

    • Lionel H. Opie, William A. Coetzee

    Pages 292-297

11. Back Matter

    Pages 298-304

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Calcium antagonists are now regarded as the most important advance in cardiac drug therapy since the advent of beta-adrenergic blocking agents. Acting ba­ sically as vasodilators-though with many other com­ plex mechanisms especially in the case of the anti­ arrhythmic calcium antagonists, these agents have grown in importance to become among the therapeutic agents of first choice for angina pectoris and hyper­ tension. The major aim of the present book is to present the clinician with the information needed for the practical use of calcium antagonists. What do all the numerous and often conflicting trials say? Do these agents really work? If so, which agent and in what dose? How do the three front runners, verapamil, nifedipine and diltia­ zem compare in the efficacy and side-effects with each other? How do the new second generation agents, now entering the North American market, slot in and com­ pare with the three first-liners? When the gloss is taken away from the advertisements, what is really left? The strong clinical bias of the present book should be complimented by further reading of books slanted towards fundamentals. One of the most important and recent of these is that by Dr Winifred Nayler (Calcium Antagonists, Academic Press, 1988). That book should be basic for essential background knowledge in the area of calcium antagonists. The important basic contribu­ tions of Fleckenstein deserve emphasis.

• angina pectoris
• arrhythmia
• calcium
• drug
• drugs
• heart
• heart disease
• hypertension
• therapy

• University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

  Lionel H. Opie

• Division of Cardiology, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, USA

  Lionel H. Opie

• Heart Research Unit, University of Cape Town, South Africa

  William A. Coetzee

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