Clinical evaluation of calcium-antagonist drugs

Calcium-antagonist drugs are therapeutic agents of first choice in patients with coronary artery disease. We have reviewed a number of clinical trials in which the safety and efficacy of calcium blockers have been tested and discuss the established clinical effects of these compounds, which range from relief of angina and improved quality of life (both in patients with ischemia due to reduction in coronary flow and in patients with ischemia due to increased O2 demand) to a favorable effect on the course of coronary atherosclerosis and, finally, (at least for some of these agents) to an improvement in prognosis.