Skip Navigation

European Heart Journal 1997 18(Supplement A):105-109; doi:10.1093/eurheartj/18.suppl_A.105
Copyright © 1997 by the European Society of Cardiology.
This Article
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow E-letters: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when E-letters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Nikol, S.
Right arrow Articles by Höfling, B.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Nikol, S.
Right arrow Articles by Höfling, B.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© 1997 The European Society of Cardiology

Novel uses and potential for calcium antagonists in revascularization

S. Nikol, T. Y. Huehns and B. Höfling

Ludwig-Maximilians University Klinikum Gro$$$hadern, Munich, Germany

Correspondence: Dr S. Nikol, Medizinische Klinik I, Klinikum Gro$$$hadern, Marchioninistr. 15, D-81377 Munich, Germany

Calcium antagonists affect the arterial wall and blood components in many ways: these include their classical vasomotor functions, as well as newly-documented effects on platelet aggregation, rheology, the platelet membrane receptor glycoprotein IIb/IIIa complex and on tissue factor, a glycoprotein that initiates the clotting cascade. Calcium antagonists slow atherogenesis in animals, perhaps through inhibiting calcium incorporation, lowering heart rate or reducing thrombus formation, although no benefits were shown in prospective clinical studies of stenosis progression. However, it has been possible to attenuate proliferation in in vitro and in vivo experimental models.

These discoveries are leading to novel calcium antagonist applications in revascularization. They have the potential to act synergistically in thrombolysis, but so far there has been very little evaluation of this. During coronary intervention, the myocardial protective action of calcium antagonists could be of benefit against stunning and in the no-reflow phenomenon. Their action on vasomotor tone and thrombus formation might affect acute closure or restenosis, although clinical studies have not yet shown this, perhaps because systemic administration of calcium antagonists does not achieve a high enough local concentration. Local drug delivery into the arterial wall may have potential. Calcium antagonists could be of use in cardiac surgery by preventing spasm or providing myocardial protection.

Key Words: Calcium antagonists • thrombolysis • coronary angioplasty • bypass surgery


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?




Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.