CALCIUM CHANNEL BLOCKERS

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" JoAnn Guest " <angelprincessjo

Wed Apr 28, 2004 7:42 pm

CALCIUM CHANNEL BLOCKERS

 

 

H204 -- 1/24/02

 

CALCIUM CHANNEL BLOCKERS

 

Gabe Mirkin, M.D.

 

Calcium channel blockers are classified as short, intermediate, and

long acting. Previous studies showed that short-acting calcium

channel blockers can increase risk for heart attacks (4). Older

studies showed that short and intermediate acting calcium channel

blocker may increases risk for heart attacks, and a recent study

shows that longer acting calcium channel blockers also may also

cause heart attacks (5).

 

There are not enough studies to prove that calcium channel blockers

cause heart attacks, but the studies are suggestive enough for most

doctors to reserve them for special cases. Most short-acting calcium

channel blockers have been taken off the market.

 

Bruce Psaty of the University of Washington in Seattle reports that

calcium channel blocker users are 58 to 70 percent more likely to

suffer heart attacks than people who take just diuretics (1).

 

Therefore the Joint National Committee on the Detection, Evaluation

and Treatment of High Blood Pressure recommends the first treatment

of beta blockers and diuretics, except for smokers and people with

lung disease because beta blockers can block the bronchial tubes.

 

 

 

Previous studies show that more than 60 percent of adult

hypertensives can have their blood pressures return to normal just

by going on a low-fat, high-fiber diet and losing weight and that

single drugs return high blood pressure to normal less than 40% of

the time.

 

So, all people with high blood pressure should go on low fat, high

fiber diets, lose weight,/ avoid smoking and being overweight/ and

start a controlled exercise program.

 

There are five type of drugs commonly used to treat high blood

pressure:

diuretics, beta-blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme

(ACE) inhibitors, calcium antagonists and alpha, beta blockers.

 

Many recent papers show that potassium-losing diuretics, such as

Lasix and Diuril, may increase the incidence of heart attack deaths

and that short and moderate-acting calcium channel blockers, might

increase the occurrence of coronary heart disease.

 

Beta blockers, such as Inderal, can make a person very tired, raise

blood sugar and cause weight gain.

 

ACE inhibitors, such as Vasotec, can cause a chronic cough in one

of every 5 people who take them and alpha, beta blockers, such as

Normodyne and Trandate, can make a person dizzy.

 

 

 

1)The Journal of the American Medical Association. August 22, 1995.

first presented by Dr. Psaty at the American Heart Association,

Epidemiology Section, meeting in San Antonio, Texas March 10, 1995.

 

2) AL Fitzpatrick, JR Daling, CD Furberg, RA Kronmal, JL Weissfeld.

Use of calcium channel blockers and breast carcinoma risk in

postmenopausal women. Cancer 80: 8 (OCT 15 1997):1438-1447.

 

3) EW Dong, JE Connelly, SP Borden, W Yorzyk, DG Passov, B

Kupelnick, DH Luo, SD Ross. A systematic review and meta-analysis of

the incidence of cancer in randomized, controlled trials of

verapamil. Pharmacotherapy 17: 6(NOV-DEC 1997):1210-1219. no

statistically significant increased risk of cancer or deaths with

verapamil.

 

4) JAMA September 10, 1996.

 

5) New England Journal of Medicine 1998;338:645-652.

 

6) J Chalmers. Treatment guidelines in hypertension: Current

limitations and future solutions. Journal of Hypertension 14: Suppl.

4 (NOV,1996):S3-S8.

 

 

www.DrMirkin.com