Calcium antagonist in hypertension
Calcium antagonists are usually employed as second line agents in the treatment of hypertension. They are as effective as other hypertensive drugs when used in appropriate doses and may be, in general, used in combination with them.
Indications for the use of dihydropyridine calcium antagonists in the treatment of hypertension:
- compelling indications - isolated systolic hypertension in elderly patients
- possible indications - angina, elderly patients
Indications for the use of rate limiting calcium antagonists include (1):
- compelling indications - angina
- possible indications - myocardial infarction
Contraindications to the use of rate limiting calcium antagonists include (1):
- possible contraindication - combination with beta-blockade
- compelling contraindication - heart block, heart failure
Verapamil (or diltiazem) SHOULD NOT be combined with beta-blockade on account of its tendency to cause heart block and impair ventricular contractility.
Reference:
- British National Formulary (BNF); NICE Evidence Services (UK access only). Calcium channel blockers.
Related pages
Create an account to add page annotations
Add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation, such as a web address or phone number. This information will always be displayed when you visit this page