Vascular versus myocardial selectivity of calcium antagonists

Calcium antagonists have come to occupy an important place in the management of angina pectoris, hypertension, and cardiac failure. Because of the widespread importance of calcium in mediating the activation of a variety of different cell types, drugs possessing calcium-blocking properties may act on a variety of tissues. An understanding of the tissue selectivity of these compounds is essential if the various agents that are currently available are to be optimally applied as the indications for their use expand.