Who should take calcium channel blockers?
In addition to treating high blood pressure, calcium channel blockers are also used to treat other heart problems including chest pain ( angina) due to heart disease or coronary spasm (see Prinzmetal’s angina), and some abnormal heart rhythms. For chest pain, calcium channel blockers are often prescribed along with nitrates. There are two types of calcium channel blockers, and which kind you are prescribed may depend on whether you have certain heart conditions. One type (the dihydropyridines, such as amlodipine and nifedipine) does not slow the heart rate or cause other abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias). This type is most often used to treat high blood pressure. The other type (the non-dihydropyridines, such as verapamil and diltiazem) is not recommended in patients who have chronic heart failure or certain types of abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias), since they may make these conditions worse. This type of CCB is most often used to treat chest pain. Many calcium channel blockers
