title: [Do calcium antagonists protect the heart?].
abstract: There are several well-documented mechanisms by which calcium antagonists might reduce the size of an infarct and the complications that may result from it. They can improve flow, reduce demand, prevent calcium-induced damage and have an antiarrhythmic effect. In a large number of animal studies calcium antagonists have been shown to be cardioprotective, and some clinical trials have yielded encouraging results. These trials must be interpreted with some caution, however, since the relationship between various measures of infarct size, such as ECG changes and enzyme release, the amount of myocardial damage and the prognosis, may not be close. Furthermore, some trials yielded a negative result and further data are needed, based on large-scale double-blind controlled trials. Nevertheless, taken overall, the evidence suggests that calcium antagonists may play a cardio-protective role, and interest in this subject is certain to continue, and will probably increase.
authors.affiliation: Medisinsk fysiologisk avdeling, Institutt for medisinsk biologi, Universitetet i Tromsø.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Refsum
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers
vernacular_title: Beskytter kalsiumantagonister hjertet?