1.
Vasospastic angina and Ca channel blockers.
Minatoguchi, S
Current hypertension reviews. 2013;(3):219-23
Abstract
Coronary artery spasm is one of the causes of angina pectoris,acute myocardial infarction and ventricular fibrillation-related sudden death. It has been established that Ca channel blockers are protective against vasospastic angina (VSA) and treatment with Ca channel blockers provides a better prognosis of VSA. However, it is not still clarified what kinds of Ca channel blockers shows the best prognosis of VSA. We performed a meta-analysis in which 4Ca channel blockers amlodipine, nifedipine, benidipine and diltiazem were used for the treatment of VSA patients and found that among 4 Ca channel blockers, benidipine showed a statistically significant better prognostic effect on MACE than amlodipine, nifedipine or diltiazem.
2.
Meta-analysis of efficacy and safety of second-generation dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers in heart failure.
Cleophas, TJ, van Marum, R
The American journal of cardiology. 2001;(4):487-90, A7-8
Abstract
Second-generation dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers slightly increase cardiac index, left ventricular ejection fraction, and exercise treadmill tests in patients with chronic heart failure, and do not increase norepinephrine levels; these drugs seem to be safe and beneficial in this category of patients. A 6% reduction in mortality was found, which, although not significantly different from 0%, does indicate that these drugs do not increase mortality in this category of patients.