Amlodipine in the Era of New Generation Calcium Channel Blockers

Amlodipine is a classical drug with varied properties extending from control of blood pressure to as an antianginal and anti atherosclerotic agent. Amlodipine is a longer acting dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker, effective for 24 hours BP control and cause no BP variability. It is a powerful, well-tolerated, and safe antihypertensive agents that is widely used either alone or as a key component of combination therapy for hypertension. Its effective BP reduction has shown proven benefits in cardiovascular event reduction that is supported with strong evidences from large randomised controlled trials. Combination therapies of amlodipine with other agents eliciting renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockade (angiotensin II receptor blockers or renin inhibitors) have shown effective blood pressure-lowering strategies in CV risk reduction and progression of renal disease. Novel type of calcium channel blockers have been developed which have additional properties of blocking T and N subtypes of calcium channels and apart from their class effects they exerts specific action on heart rate and renin aldosterone system. They are considered to be more renoprotective due to this additional properties. Amlodipine is most potent and longer acting agent compared to the newer CCBs, its effectiveness in BP lowering still makes it the agent of choice among all the CCBs.