Calcium channel blocker
Calcium channel blockers (CCB), calcium channel antagonists or calcium antagonists are a group of medications that disrupt the movement of calcium () through calcium channels. Calcium channel blockers are used as antihypertensive drugs, i.e., as medications to decrease blood pressure in patients with hypertension. CCBs are particularly effective against large vessel stiffness, one of the common causes of elevated systolic blood pressure in elderly patients. Calcium channel blockers are also frequently used to alter heart rate (especially from atrial fibrillation), to prevent peripheral and cerebral vasospasm, and to reduce chest pain caused by angina pectoris.

N-type, L-type, and T-type voltage-dependent calcium channels are present in the zona glomerulosa of the human adrenal gland, and CCBs can directly influence the biosynthesis of aldosterone in adrenocortical cells, with consequent impact on the clinical treatment of hypertension with these agents.

CCBs have been shown to be slightly more effective than beta blockers at lowering cardiovascular mortality, but they are associated with more side effects. Potential major risks however were mainly found to be associated with short-acting CCBs.
Q12140
medication
Concept
Q706
calcium
Concept
Q15322916
calcium channel
UNK
Q575890
antihypertensive drug
Concept
Q82642
blood pressure
Concept
Q41861
hypertension
Concept
Q496359
systolic
Concept
Q437458
elderly patients
Concept
Q1073121
heart rate
Concept
Q5064103
cerebral vasospasm
Concept
Q693058
chest pain
Concept
Q180762
angina pectoris
Concept
Q26916851
N-type
UNK
Q2600696
L-type
UNK
Q2487620
T-type
UNK
Q14905735
voltage-dependent calcium channel
UNK
Q3551060
zona glomerulosa
Concept
Q712294
human adrenal gland
Concept
Q851162
biosynthesis
Concept
Q184564
aldosterone
Concept
Q19065
adrenocortical cells
Concept
Q41861
hypertension
Concept
Q912807
agents
Concept
Q816759
beta blockers
Concept
Q11068
cardiovascular
Concept
Q58702
mortality
Concept
Q3269441
side effects
Concept
Q421700
Calcium channel blocker
Concept
Q421700
Calcium channel blocker
Concept
Q421700
Calcium channel blocker
Concept
subclass of
medical condition treated
subclass of
part of
part of