Calcium channel blockers and hypertension.
Effective treatment of high blood pressure (BP) represents a key strategy for reducing the burden of hypertension-related cardiovascular and renal diseases. In spite of these well-established concepts, hypertension remains poorly controlled worldwide. In order to improve BP control in patients with hypertension, several interventions have been proposed, among which (1) preferred use of more effective, sustained, and well-tolerated antihypertensive drug aimed to ensure adherence to prescribed medications and (2) extensive use of rational, integrated, and synergistic combination therapies, even as first-line strategy, aimed to achieve the recommended BP targets. Within the possible antihypertensive drug classes currently available for the clinical management of hypertension, both in monotherapy and in combination therapy, drugs inhibiting the renin-angiotensin system and calcium channel blockers (CCBs) have demonstrated to be effective and safe in lowering BP levels and achieving the recommended BP targets with a good tolerability profile. In particular, CCBs have been one of the most widely used classes of antihypertensive agents in the last 20 years, based on their effectiveness in reducing BP levels, good tolerability, and abundant evidence on reducing cardiovascular and renal consequences of hypertension. This article provides an updated overview of the evidence supporting the use of CCBs-based antihypertensive regimen, both in monotherapy and in combination therapies with different classes of antihypertensive drugs.
Division of Cardiology, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University of Rome Sapienza, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Rome IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli (IS), Italy.
Giuliano
G
Tocci
Division of Cardiology, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University of Rome Sapienza, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Rome.
Allegra
A
Battistoni
Division of Cardiology, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University of Rome Sapienza, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Rome.
Jasmine
J
Passerini
Division of Cardiology, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University of Rome Sapienza, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Rome.
Maria Beatrice
MB
Musumeci
Division of Cardiology, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University of Rome Sapienza, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Rome.
Pietro
P
Francia
Division of Cardiology, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University of Rome Sapienza, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Rome.
Andrea
A
Ferrucci
Division of Cardiology, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University of Rome Sapienza, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Rome IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli (IS), Italy massimo.volpe@uniroma1.it.
Massimo
M
Volpe
D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers
antihypertensive therapy; blood pressure control; calcium antagonists; calcium channel blockers; combination therapy; hypertension