Pharmacokinetics of calcium channel blocking agents

Verapamil and nifedipine are the most frequently used calcium channel blocking agents in Sweden at present time. The pharmacokinetics of verapamil has been described both in healthy volunteers as well as in patients with supraventricular arrhythmias, angina pectoris, liver cirrhosis, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or hypertension. Intravenous pharmacokinetics of nifedipine has been investigated in healthy volunteers and oral pharmacokinetics in healthy volunteers as well as in patients with hypertension. The pharmacokinetics of verapamil and of one of its metabolites, norverapamil, is changed after multiple oral dosing as has been described in patients with supraventricular tachyarrhythmias, angina pectoris or in patients with essential hypertension. Plasma concentration-effect relationships have been established for verapamil in different clinical situations and in a few cases also for nifedipine. An update of the pharmacokinetics of these two important calcium channel blocking agents is presented.