title: The issue of the cardiovascular safety of dihydropyridines.
abstract: This review describes aspects of the calcium channel blocker controversy as it relates to hypertensive and coronary artery disease patients. Much of the controversy has occurred because of off-label use of short-acting calcium channel blockers that were never approved or recommended for use in patients with hypertension or acute myocardial infarction. A recent analysis of slow-onset, long-acting calcium channel blockers, which lack large peak-to trough fluctuations in drug levels, did not show a signal suggesting an increase in cardiovascular events.
authors.affiliation: Heart Institute, Good Samaritan Hospital, Los Angeles, CA 90017, USA.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Kloner
mesh_terms: D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000187:drug effects*; D004095:Dihydropyridines / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D004095:Dihydropyridines