title: Calcium, calcium channels, and calcium channel antagonists.
abstract: Voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels are an important pathway for Ca2+ influx in excitable cells. They also represent an important site of action for a therapeutic group of agents, the Ca2+ channel antagonists. These drugs enjoy considerable use in the cardiovascular area including angina, some arrhythmias, hypertension, and peripheral vascular disorders. The voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels exist in a number of subclasses characterized by electrophysiologic, permeation, and pharmacologic criteria. The Ca2+ channel antagonists, including verapamil, nifedipine, and diltiazem, serve to characterize the L channel class. This channel class has been characterized as a pharmacologic receptor, since it possesses specific drug-binding sites for both antagonists and activators and it is regulated by homologous and heterologous influences. The Ca2+ channels of both voltage- and ligand-regulated classes are likely to continue to be major research targets for new drug design and action.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, State University of New York, Buffalo 14260.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Triggle
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D015220:Calcium Channels; D002118:Calcium