This can cause symptoms such as headaches and dizziness.Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Grapefruit juice interacts with the drug and can affect heart rate and blood pressure. For severe overdoses, treatment usually includes close monitoring of vital signs and the addition of vasopressive agents and intravenous fluids for blood pressure support. Mayo Clinic does not endorse any of the third party products and services advertised.A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. By blocking calcium, calcium channel blockers allow blood vessels to relax and open.Some calcium channel blockers have the added benefit of slowing your heart rate, which can further lower your blood pressure, relieve chest pain (angina) and control an irregular heartbeat.Calcium channel blockers are also called calcium antagonists.Calcium channel blockers are available in short-acting and long-acting forms. Phenylalkylamines are thought to access calcium channels from the intracellular side, although the evidence is somewhat mixed.Benzothiazepine calcium channel blockers belong to the While most of the agents listed above are relatively selective, there are additional agents that are considered nonselective. Because of the negative inotropic effects, the nondihydropyridine calcium channel blockers should be avoided (or used with caution) in individuals with Ionic calcium is antagonized by magnesium ions in the nervous system. Some calcium channel blockers also slow the heart rate. Some of the most common calcium channel blockers include diltiazem, isradipine, nifedipine, verapamil, … Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission.Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.org," "Mayo Clinic Healthy Living," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.© 1998-2020 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Calcium channel blockers, with the exception of amlodipine, should be avoided in heart failure as they can further depress cardiac function and exacerbate symptoms. Long-acting medications are slowly released to provide a longer lasting effect.Several calcium channel blockers are available. Mild CCB toxicity is treated with supportive care. If the time of the overdose is known and presentation is within two hours of ingestion, activated charcoal, gastric lavage, and Hyperinsulinemia-euglycemia therapy has emerged as a viable form of treatment.Caution should be taken when using verapamil with a beta blocker due to the risk of severe Studies done by Katsura et al. Short-acting medications work quickly, but their effects last only a few hours. Calcium channel blockers are also effective at reducing an individual's heart rate, which helps decrease blood pressure, control irregular heart rhythms, and alleviate angina. The phenylalkylamine class of CCBs mainly affect the cells of the heart and have negative inotropic and negative chronotropic effects. Calcium causes the heart and arteries to contract more strongly. Unfortunately, research shows that these drugs make one far more susceptible to dying of a heart attack (resulting in early death) as well as potentiating cancer. The benzothiazepine class of CCBs combine effects of the other two classes. Mayo Clinic offers appointments in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota and at Mayo Clinic Health System locations.Our general interest e-newsletter keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics.Calcium channel blockers lower blood pressure and treat other conditions such as chest pain and an irregular heartbeat.Calcium channel blockers lower your blood pressure by preventing calcium from entering the cells of your heart and arteries. Which one is best for you depends on your health and the condition being treated.In some cases, your doctor might prescribe a calcium channel blocker with other high blood pressure medications or with cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins.In addition to high blood pressure, doctors prescribe calcium channel blockers to prevent, treat or improve symptoms in a variety of conditions, such as:For black people and older people, calcium channel blockers might work better than other blood pressure medications, such as beta blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers.Side effects of calcium channel blockers may include:Avoid grapefruit products while taking certain calcium channel blockers. In 2006 on mouse cerebral cortical neurons, show the effects of the heart and have negative inotropic negative! Or calcium chloride if a central line is available ) and atropine are first-line therapies affect the cells of heart. 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