title: Arguments supporting the use of calcium antagonists in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy: theoretical considerations and clinical results.
abstract: There is increasing evidence that sarcolemmal disorders in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC), due either to viral infection, catecholamine excess, ethanol intoxication, microcirculatory disorders, or autoimmune responses, induce enhanced Ca2+ inflow. This may lead to mitochondrial Ca2+ accumulation and activation of phospholipase and proteases, resulting in left ventricular dysfunction. The acute beneficial hemodynamic response to diltiazem in IDC patients, in comparison to other calcium blockers, enabled us to perform an open trial investigating the effects of chronic diltiazem (60-90 mg t.i.d.) in patients with IDC. The results of this trial suggested that adjunctive diltiazem in IDC had beneficial effects on mortality, hemodynamics, and symptoms. Thus a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was initiated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology and Pulmonology, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, F.R.G.
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Figulla
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kreuzer
mesh_terms: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004110:Diltiazem / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D012508:Sarcolemma / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D004110:Diltiazem